Gbarpolu County Senator-elect, Botoe Kanneh
The people of Gbarpolu County may shortly put behind the war of words that have resulted from the outcome of the December 8, 2020 Special Senatorial Election conducted by the National Election Commission (NEC).
The people, who for years have lived together in peace and harmony, saw themselves recently slipping into deep-rooted hatred, and right now it is only a fair and non-partisan opinion (judgment) by the five justices of the Supreme Court that can save the county from the animosities.
On Tuesday, March 16, 2021, the Justices listened to oral arguments between lawyers of the two rivalry groups; the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change ( CDC) Senatorial Candidate, Alfred Koiwood, and independent and only female candidate Botoe Kanneh.
While the December 8 senatorial elections were largely peaceful, its aftermath have been marred by violence instigated mainly by complaints of attempted vote count rigging in Nimba, Grand Kru, and Gbarpolu Counties.
The conflict situation brewing in those counties arising from arising from the conduct of the elections is indeed worrisome and warrants the immediate attention of President Weah lest the situation may spin out of control with potentially disastrous consequences for peace and national stability.
The situation in Gbarpolu and Grand Kru are of extreme urgency and should be treated as such. In Grand Kru the Magistrate has been accused of manipulating the vote count in favor of the CDC candidate Dr. Peter Coleman against the leading contender, Nathaniel Barway.