Kanaan Al Daher was elected three times between the years 1888 and 1902 as representative of North Lebanon on the Administrative Council and saadallah Howayek was one of his major supporters in those elections. Saadallah Howayek won and replaced Kanaan Al Daher in the Council in the year 1903, as Kanaan Al Daher had instead been appointed as Ka'em Makam of Keserwan. Yusuf Pasha, chairman from 1907-1912 of Mount Lebanon, even after conflict with the administration council, was left with no choice but to appoint Saadallah Howayek (the leader of the liberal councilors at that time) as deputy chairman of the Council in his final years.