Liberia: Yanqui Zaza Elected as LPP Chairman
Over 117 officially accredited delegates from the 15 counties in Liberia and that of the United States and Europe respectively have elected Yanqui Zaza as National Chairman of the Liberian People’s Party or LPP.
He replaces outgone Chairman, Counselor Joseph Kolako Kpator Jallah who steered the affairs of the party diligently for 17 years.
According to a press release from the LPP, the decision was taken during the party’s 5th extraordinary national congress, held at the weekend in Montserrado County.
Those elected along with Zaza were George B. Caine as National Vice Chairman for Administration; Stephen Ricks as National Vice Chairman for Operations; and Major Tamba Samukai as National Vice Chairman for Recruitment and Mobilization.
Others are Leon Talery as National General Secretary; Amos Bartu, Jr., as National Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs; Aaron Nelson as National Assistant Secretary General for Press and Propaganda; and Lucia Massalee-Yallah as National Treasurer.
Those being replaced were Counselor Joseph Kolako Kpator, National Chairman; Counselor Joseph Nagbe, National Vice Chairman for Administration but resigned from the party upon nomination to serve as Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Liberia; and Harry Mongbeh, National Vice Chairman for Operations (retired).
Others were Theodosia Clarke-Wah (deceased), National Vice Chairperson for Women Affairs; Jefferson Karmoh, National Secretary General but now serves as National Security Advisor at the Presidency; Morris Kollie, National Assistant Secretary General employ at the Foreign Ministry; Mougmoumtorh Sackor, National Assistant Secretary General for Press and Propaganda; and Gmasonoh Monger-Morris (deceased), National Treasurer.
LPP extraordinary national congress was chaired by one of the party’s ideologues, Dr. Yarsuo Weh-Dorliae, former Commissioner of the Governance Commission or GC during the tenure of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who immediately swore-in the fresh team.
It was keenly observed by the National Elections Commission (NEC), Represented by Abraham Kanneh, and other dignitaries from civil society organizations, as well as some foreign missions.
Held under the theme: “For God and My Country,” the national congress memorialized the party’s first founding the late Chairman, Amos Claudius Sawyer, who died on Wednesday, 16 February, this year.
The third post-war elective national congress of LPP is a constitutional fulfillment achieved with the election of a new leadership steering the affairs of the party replacing Counselor Joseph Kolako Kpator Jallah, an Independent Candidate contesting in the pending senatorial by-election in Lofa County.
Though the outgoing chairman was endorsed by the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) recently, he was not present at the congress as he is on pre-campaigning in Lofa County. He, however, blessed the process publicly when appeared on Wednesday, 27 April, edition of the Okay FM in Monrovia.
JKJ, 61, as he is affectionately called among the progressives, led LPP diligently for almost two decades without public noise, the press release said.
Earlier, delegates of the congress and other dignitaries paid tribute with a standing ovation to those progressives who contributed immensely to Liberia’s multiparty democratic system which Liberians are enjoying today.
And they included Togba-Nah Tipoteh, Henry Boima Fahnbulleh, Dew Tuan-Wleh Mayson, Nyan K. Taryor, Lucia Massalee-Yallah, Joseph Saye Guannu, and Amos Claudius Sawyer.
Others were Gabriel Baccus Matthews, Albert Porte, Edward Beyan Kesselly, Jackson Fiah Doe, Emma Shannon Walser, D. K. Wonsehleay; Oscar Jaryee Quiah, Marcus S. G. Dahn, and Mary Antoinette Brown-Sherman and many more.
LPP was founded Monday, 13 August 1984, following a decision taken during the second National Congress of the Movement for Justice Africa (MOJA) held in March, 1980. The late Amos Claudius Sawyer and John Karnweaye were the first founding chairman and secretary general of the party, respectively.
Meanwhile, the party’s national primaries to elect would-be aspirants for representative and senatorial seats ahead of next year general polls will be held at the close of this year.
With this, some partisans have reportedly expressed their desire to seek, through a primary, the nomination for the party’s presidential ticket.
And they are LPP-United States based branch member, George Gonpu; Europe and United Kingdom based member, Henry Boima Fahnbulleh, Jr., and Liberia based member, Tiawan Saye Gongloe, respectively.