An investigation conducted by Liberia Public Radio has established that ‘power greed’ has caused division within the Bong County legislative caucus.
The Bong Legislative caucus comprises of seven representatives and two senators.
The divided caucus is being headed by under-performing electoral district #7 representative Joseph Papa Kolleh.
Item is of no secret that the Bong’s caucus is now openly being divided into two groups or blocs; a majority bloc comprising of five (5) members and a minority bloc consisting of four (4) members.
Members of the majority bloc include: incumbent Henry Willie Yallah, Jospeh Papa Kolleh of district#7, Edward W. Karfiah of district#5, politically hushed Albert Junior Hills of district#1 and flamboyant Representative Josiah Marvin Cole of district#3 while the minority bloc is being headed by Deputy House speaker Prince Kermue Moye of Bong’s district#2, Moimah Briggs Mensah of district#6, Representative Robert Flomo Womba, district#4 and Senator Dr. Henrique Flomo Tokpa.
According to the LPR survey in Bong County, the caucus’ division came as a result of Deputy Speaker Prince Kermue Moye’s voracious decision to contest for the senatorial seat of Bong County in the pending midterm senatorial election.
Incumbent senator Yallah has served for almost nine years but has lost the grip of the county based on what many Bongese have termed as wasted nine years.
The citizens however believe the re-election of incumbent Yallah is far from touching their lips as he has allegedly failed them over the years.
They however did not name anyone in the senatorial race who could settle the wounds within the caucus.
‘Greediness’
According to the Bongese, Deputy Speaker Moye’s election to represent Bong County at the Liberian senate will impose ‘economic burden’ on national government.
Moye was a strong critic of by-election dating 2018 when madam Jewel Howard Taylor was elected as Liberia’s first female Vice president.
His message of not creating another by-election resonated well in the county when he campaigned against district#3 Representative Josiah Marvin Cole in favor of former Cuttington University’s President, Dr. Henrique Flomo Tokpa.
Hon. Moye in his campaign message against Hon. Josiah Marvin Cole in the 2018 by-election created by then senator Chief, Dr.Jewel Howard Taylor ascendency at the level of the vice presidency said there was no need to elect sitting lawmaker as it stands to create economic burden on national government.
His campaign succeeded as Dr. Henrique Flomo Tokpa defeated Rep. Cole with 27,806 (47.0%) and 20,982 (35.4%), respectively.
“I don’t see the need why my colleague Marvin Cole is contesting the 2018 by-election when he’s aware that the government is challenged financially,” Rep. Moye had said.
But two years down the line, Rep. Moye is now already to do what he criticized.
He somersaulted that this time around his decision to contest is necessary after been clogged by several criticisms.
“There is necessary by-election and unnecessary by-election. In 2018 when Marvin Cole was contesting, it was unnecessary, but mine is necessary” Rep. Moye told Liberia Public Radio.
In retribution, Rep. Josiah Marvin Cole described his colleague’s ambition as dead on arrival and promised to campaign against him as he did in 2018. “I will use his message of by-election against him,” he averred.
Henry Willie Yallah, a former executive of the People’s Unification Party who recently joined the Coalition for Democratic Change is exerting all efforts to reclaim the success of 2011.
According to political commentators in the county, the election of Yallah squarely depends on Madam Jewel Howard Taylor’s decision to remarket him.
Since his election dating 2011, he and Madam Taylor have politically fallen apart over several local and national issues, with the former first lady telling Bong residents at one occasion that Yillah is ungrateful.
