By T. Benjamin Myers
It has become increasingly necessary to issue a soberity check in a quest to guide the governance of the state, most especially when a regime is unknowingly slipping into power drunkenness where its proponents are attempting to ascribe unto themselves unmerited authority in the face of existing laws that vest no inch of such power into them. The check is meant to cut off early drunkenness and allow one to flow with a sense of soberness to avoid repercussions that early drunkenness could create. Since Morlu’s ascendancy to the highest seat in the ranks of the CDC as a result of the vacuum created by Nathaniel Mcgill’s appointment as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, he has overgrown his limits to being uncompromisingly disrespectful, especially so when he spewed a bulk of tomfoolery in his response to the opposition parties’ declaration.
With much ado did Mulbah K Morlu Jr. speak, reacting to the recent collaboration of the three major opposition parties (ANC, LP and UP) as they agreed to take a singular approach on national discussion, and hold the government accountable to her social responsibilities to its people- while maintaining their individual identities. It would certainly have been a surprise had any other party Chairman condescended so low by giving a speech that is loaded in quantity, but lacking in quality; but since it is Mulbah Morlu, there’s nothing to be surprised about because everyone is accustomed to his superfluity of naughtiness!
Interestingly, opposition parties unlike previous times, decided to collaborate in order to have oneness of purpose in helping to guide the governance of the country by engaging the government through constructive policy critiques, and providing alternative policy prescriptions anchored on improving the livelihood of the people of Liberia. This is intended to avoid deepening the political devides that stand as a factor that distorts concentrated political efforts, thus leaving the people to face the adverse effect.
Hence, it is prudent to begin acknowledging the change in Political dynamics where oppositions have decided to take a constructive approach rather than being destructive- casting doom on the government and the country like Mulbah Morlu and his sophisticated sabu unit did in our most recent past!
In his abhorrent response to the declaration of the parties, Morlu termed the parties as a handful of people who are ambitious of instituting shenanigan, revolt and with the heart of determination to undermine the Weah-led government. But here is the contradiction: 2017 first round election statistics show that no party obtained 50 percent plus 1 as required by the constitution of the Republic of Liberia, thus creating the constitutional basis for holding a second round out of which the CDC emerged victorious against the ruling Unity Party. The truism of the matter is that Morlu is obsessed with power to the point that his memory has erased and he seems to forget the trend of events that led to the rise of the CDC- probably he may be experiencing amnesia!
It is important as much as it is necessary to put Morlu in remembrance by detailing the 2017 elections statistics as a therapy to minimize the effect of amnesia on his memory:
The Coalition for Democratic Change obtained a total vote accumulation of 596, 037 which accounts for 38.4% of the overall votes percentage; UP obtained a total vote accumulation of 446, 716 which accounts for 28.8% of the overall votes percentage; LP also obtained a total vote accumulation of 149, 495 which accounts for 9.6% of the overall votes percentage; while the ANC obtained a total vote accumulation of 112, 067 which also accounts for 7.2% of the overall votes percentage. If you do a careful tally of votes obtained by the ANC, UP and LP during the first round as shown supra in the statistics, you will realize that they collectively obtained 708, 278 votes which accounts for 45.6% of the overall percentage- a difference of 5.4% to victory.
So, you see how Morlu has argued with a deluded sense of reasoning when he quickly forgot that the CDC, NPP and LPDP got 596, 037 votes or 38.4% as opposed to ANC, UP and LP 708,278 votes or 45.6%. The assertion of the collaborating parties being a handful of people is nothing short of a “naked lie” told by the Chairman of the ruling party. He needs to apologize for not being up-to-date with the political events.The opposition constitutes the largest bloc, a reality that has sent strong fear down the spine of the ruling clique.
Secondly, he questioned the impeccable character of Cummings, alleging that Cummings is involved with money laundering. Morlu in his colossal ignorance intimated to the press that Cummings would go lobbying for money from cooperate institutions in the name of his foundation and generate 1 to 2 millions, use a minimum amount on the ANC, while the rest is directed to his personal account. In his words, Cummings is an extortionist! But when he was asked to present a tangible proof, he challenged Cummings to make public his financial records out of which the true will be revealed.
Damn it! How Morlu thinks he would survive with such a micky mouse logic? The true is, Morlu is an impressionist who must sound in a way that is appeasing to President Weah so that he continues in his fake influence, living a celebrity life at the expense of the suffering masses. It is also important to clarify that Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings has worked as an outstanding character in the international circle. He has amassed for himself wealth that can sustain him for the rest of his life, and is using the Cummings African Foundation to help less fortunate students develop their career goals contrary to Morlu’s distorted fabrication.
One would critically think that Morlu’s curiosity to see Cummings’ finances being made public should be directed to his so-called mansiah, President Weah! Unlike Cummings, President Weah is under a statutory mandate to declare his assets prior to assuming the presidency. But being aware of your inability to remember, Part X, Sec. 10.1 of the Code of Conduct will be a necessary instrument to refresh your memory:
Every public official and employee of government involved in decisions affecting, contracting, tendering or procurement, and issuance of licenses of various types shall sign performance or financial bonds and shall in addition declare his or her income, assets and liabilities prior to taking office and thereafter:
a. At the end of every three years;
b. On promotion or progression from one level to another;
c. Upon transfer to another public office; and
d. Upon retirement or resignation.
That squealer who survives on insults pelting has not developed the least of courage to speak power to the face of President Weah and ask him to declare his assets consistent with the aforementioned provision of the Code of Conduct, but has the shameless audacity to ask Cummings to declare his assets when there is no law that grounds the legal basis of such silly curiosity! The opposition is not unaware of attempts by the lousy ruling clique to employ tactics aimed at setting them against the people through spewing out mendacities, but we are poised to turn these lies and stereotypes into silly confetti.
The pastor turned liar also accused Cllr. Brumskine of breaking down a bank but failed to call the name of the bank the Counsellor broke down, and the circumstances that characterized the event. Again, Morlu should understand by now that the people are too sophisticated to accept such a wayward argument as truth! As it is a known fact, Morlu is prone to the reactionary phenomenon of “ blackmail to make a living” but unfortunately, the pockets of Mr. Cummings and Cllr. Brumskine will not be used as a hustle ground to support Morlu’s life of extravagance.
Disappointingly, Morlu concluded his press conference by giving highlights of the government’s achievements in the first 150 days as follows:
1. Ground Breaking for the construction of a theater
2. Civil Servants are taking pay
3. South East is about to have a road
4. The Ganta to Yekepa road project
We acknowledge all of these, except they are long term plans, but there seems not to be an immediate short term plan that will have quick impact on the economy. For the most part, civil servants have always been taking pay even more effectively than what the current situation depicts. Before the so-called roads become of economic importance, what do you have as a social-safetiness program that will quickly resuscitate the economy and reduce the height of suffering on the ordinary people? It is a question you may ponder over. But let it sink down your skull that the people must be rescued from their penury!
Finally, the obnoxious political laggard struggles to regain the confidence of CDCians and ultimately members of the Coalition, having been imposed on them as Chairman of the party. True to the point, he is a former young lion that degenerated into a cat that now muse from the back benches of the CDC! To put simple, he is irrelevant!
Thus, we characterize Morlu’s press conference as a “loose talk”! It is a hash, but vain in substance cry of an angry duck that has not the least of potential to frighten the hunting fox and cause it to abandon it’s venomous strike!
T. Benjamin Myers
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