Members of the Nimba County legislative caucus are currently in total disorder over the questionable election of officials of the Project Management Committee (PMC) of the county.
It all began when Senator Prince Johnson who chairs the caucus unilaterally overturned the body’s decision and allowed delegates and observers to vote for candidates vying for various positions at the PMC through head-count.
In a communication addressed to Nimba county Superintendent, Nelson Korquoi dated August 12, 2020; the caucus authorized the county administration to call for a council sitting that has delayed for over two years.
At the sitting, delegates were expected to elect a new batch of officials of the PMC after the past officials’ tunnel got expired for two years.
The caucus informed the county administration that the election of officials of the PMC will be done through secret ballot as enshrined in Article 77(b) of the Liberian constitution.
Surprisingly to some members of the caucus and observers, Senator Johnson who presided over the county council sitting abruptly stopped the presentation of a petition by pressure groups and some sectors and called for the PMC election to order by calling on delegates to decide the leadership by raising their right hands.
The Senator’s action prompted three members of the caucus including Representatives Larry P. Younquoi Samuel G. Kogar and Prince O.S. Tokpah of Districts # 8, 5, and 2 to take a flight to court.
They had gone to the 8th judicial circuit Court in Sanniquellie with their lawyer to pray the court to place a rate of injection on the PMC election when Senator Johnson horribly conducted the election.
The mood in which the PMC election was conducted led to the abrupt adjournment of the county council sitting on that day.
Addressing delegates and citizens who have gone to witness the siting after returning from court, the three aggrieved lawmakers categorically denounced the PMC election process and promised to challenge the matter in the court.
“As far as we are concerned no election has been conducted.” The Lawmakers lamented.
They argued that the process was un-democratically conducted and influenced by Senator Johnson.
For his part, Hon. Younquoi contended that there was no election commission set up and in fact, most of the contestants were not in the Hall when the election was held.
Some citizens of the county have also expressed frustration over the manner Senator Johnson proceeded with the process.
Despite controversies surrounding the PMC election, Senator Johnson immediately announced Mr. Harris Y. Yeanamie as the Chairman of the PMC, Mr. Sam G. Ta-Kruah Jr. as treasurer and Mr. Richard Nyeingar as comptroller to steer the affairs of the Project Management Committee of Nimba county for the next three years as required by law.
Some citizens are claiming that there were no results of the so-called elections to know how many persons voted.
“We don’t know who all voted, delegates were still mixed up with observers in the hall, and observers don’t have voting rights during County Council Sitting,” said some aggrieved citizens.
