Monrovia – The Alternative national Congress (ANC) of Alexander Cummings has rejected the inclusion of its political leader among those listed to be sidelined from the 2017 presidential elections ballot in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
Mr. Lafayette Gould, chairman of the party, defended his party leader, at a news conference Tuesday on the ground of the Party headquarters in Sinkor.
Mr. Gould stated that Mr. Cummings is in no way a victim of the Supreme Court ruling and declared that the former Coca Cola executive’s name and photo will be on the ballot papers in October.
Mr. Gould described as false, rumors intended to distract and demoralize partisans of the ANC.
“Amid several false reports and rumors about Alexander Cummings eligibility to run for office, we would like to formally clarify that Mr. Cummings candidacy for President is in no way affected by the Code of Conduct regulations, and that he is in full accordance with the law and all NEC regulations.
We and his supporters across the country are fully confident that his candidacy for President will be success-ful and Mr. Alexander B. Cummings will be elected President this coming October.”
Mr. Gould explained that following the Supreme Court ruling in the case Selena Mappy-Polson Versus the Government of Liberia on Friday march 3rd 2017 there have been several false reports and rumors about the ANC political leader’s eligibility to run for president, something he said is far from the truth.
“We and his supporters across the country are fully confident that Mr. Alexander Cummings will be elect-ed President come October and inaugurated 2018.
Dissemination of the likely falsehood is an attempt to distract and demoralize our supporters in response to the fact Mr. Cummings is feared by his competitors eyeing the presidency”, Mr. Gould averred.
Mr. Gould described the rumors as old tricks masterminded by Mr. Cummings’ political opponents fearful of the gains he has been making in rural Liberia and Montserrado County in the past few months.
“They have resulted to these old tricks to sway the public and stop the rapid movement that would change this country thankfully the Liberian people are resolved in wanting a change and will not allow themselves to be easily misled,” he said.
According to him the ANC’s political leaders has called on supporters to remain calm and make their de-cision in October so that they can all have a Liberia the they deserve. “No doubt Mr. Cummings will be on the ballot and he will be representing the ANC and we will win the elections,” he added.
Mr. Gould said, Mr. Cummings’ appointment as a non-statutory member of the Board of Directors of Bookers Washington Institute (BWI) was more of a humanitarian job in his bid to give back to his country.
In 2009, the Executive Branch of Government submitted the Code of Conduct bill to the National Legislature for passage into law, the Code received huge public commendations especially some provisions regarding the conduct of public officials whom many see as acting above the very law they make.
The code applies to all officials covered under article 56 of the constitution including Ambassadors, Ministers, Consuls, Chief Justice, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Judges of the subordinate courts, Superintendents, other county officials of other political subdivisions; members of the military from the rank of lieutenant of its equivalent and above; and marshals, deputy marshals and sheriffs.
Section 5.2 (a) of the Code of Conduct dictates that any Minister, Deputy Minister, Director-General, Managing Director and Superintendent appointed by the President …. and a Managing Director appointed by a Board of Directors, who desires to contest for public elective office shall resign said post at least two years prior to the date of such public elections.
In the case of other appointed officials who hold tenured positions and desire to contest for public elective offices, the Code of Conduct dictates in Section 5.2 (b) that such officials “shall resign said post three (3) years prior to the date of such public elections.”
Viewed by many as a political newcomer, Mr. Cummings has been making inroads despite his late entry into the presidential race.
He has criticized long-standing corruption in Liberia and said 170 years of independence is too long a time for Liberians to continue making the wrong choices at the polls by electing people who continue to fail them with lofty promises and poor and ineffective deliverables.
He has vowed to reform the nation’s healthcare system and the economy if elected and says the election of an administration that truly cares about the Liberian people is the remedy a s he outlined the failure of government to improve its citizens lives.
“Our government will prioritize resource and revenue and mobi-lization. Our government will work for the people and with the people, in rebuilding a new Liberia,” he told supporters at a recent rally.
The Code of Conduct ruling has been greeted with mixed views since the Supreme Court came down with its decision with several current officials of government with eyes on politics likely to be affected.
They include: Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Julia Duncan-Cassell who recently ac-cepted a petition to contest as representative of District #1 in Grand Bassa County; Harrison Karnwea currently serving as Managing Director of Forestry Development Agency but being eyed to be a running mate to Cllr. Charles Brumskine; Former Liberian Ambassador to the U.S., Jeremiah Sulunteh ru-mored to be a vice to Cummings and a host of others.