Gbarnga — The road to the 2023 senatorial election in Bong County is becoming more tortuous for the People’s Unification Party (PUP) aspirant Edward Karfiah, given the internal rift that has accompanied his decision to snub the party’s Bong County chairman and representative aspirant William Sumoward at the expense of non-party member Foday Fahnbulleh in District Seven.
The decision by Karfiah, an elite member of the PUP, is against the party’s guardlines which gives guarantee to incumbent lawmaker and chairman to contest elective positions unopposed.
Karfiah’s action has reportedly put him at odds with Sumoward, who has demonstrated committed to the PUP over the years. Sumoward was one of the key persons who helped the party win the District Two by-election last year November.
FrontPageAfrica has gathered that Karfiah’s decision to support a non-party party member over his chairman has put him at odds with some partisans, with many slamming his decision as “being ungrateful”.
One partisan told FrontPageAfrica Saturday. “Karfiah is openly supporting Foday Fahnbulleh over our party chairman and wants us to support his senatorial ambition. This is hypocrisy at the highest level. Just how he has decided to support someone outside the party for representative, we too will support someone for the senatorial seat outside the party.”
Another partisan told FrontPageAfrica: “What difference is Karfiah bringing as senator of the county when he is snubbing his partisans for someone from different party. Foday Fahnbulleh, we all know, contested on the ticket of Liberty Party in 2017 and still remains a member of the Liberty Party. Then you’re snubbing him for a chairman who has been loyal to you over the years.’
FrontPageAfrica has gathered that Sumoward is reportedly angry with Karfiah for his decision, and has decided to still contest despite several meetings organized by stakeholders of the PUP to plea with him to relinquish his ambition.
FrontPageAfrica has also gathered that Sumoward’s fury could lead him not to support Karfiah’s ambition, contrary to initial plans he made to campaign with him in the nooks and crannies of the county.
Sumoward is not the only PUP member who is contesting angry with Karfiah’s political gimmick. Steve Kennedy, a member of the PUP, is said to be angry with the District Five lawmaker over his refusal to openly announce support for his ambition despite having announced his support to his senatorial ambition.
Karfiah, the incumbent representative of District Five who is serving his second six-year term, has made it clear that he doesn’t support any aspirant in the district, adding that endorsing someone would “cause uproar” in the district.
And Kennedy told FrontPageAfrica: “I hear Hon. Karfiah saying he doesn’t support anyone in District Five. That means he doesn’t support me despite being a member of the PUP. “
FrontPageAfrica gathered that Kennedy is poised to resign from the party if Karfiah doesn’t openly support his representative bid. “If Karfiah doesn’t support me I will resign from the party and endorse the senatorial ambition of Johnny Kpehe”.
Besides the internal wrangling in the PUP, Karfiah appears to be faced with several headaches ahead of next year’s election, with a row with Rep. Marvin Cole and his “childhood friend” Henry Yallah taking a toll on his ambition.
Yallah and Karfiah have been at loggerheads since the end of 2020 senatorial election, with Yallah accusing Karfiah of not supporting his failed ambition in 2020. Though Karfiah rejected the allegations, Yallah has vowed to contest against him.
As for Rep. Cole, another influential lawmaker, he won’t support Karfiah’s ambition because he feels the District Five lawmaker is not the best person to lead Bong County as senator.
Also, Senator Prince Moye, who is yet to announce his choice of candidate for the Senate, is reportedly planning on snubbing Karfiah’s ambition.
According to political pundits, the lack of support from these stakeholders would make it impossible for Karfiah in 2023.