MONROVIA – Unity Party’s standard-bearer, Joseph N. Boakai, would be faced with the daunting task of unifying the Collaborating Political Parties amid several haul and pull within the opposition conglomerate.
The Alternative National Congress (ANC), a constituent member of the CPP, has announced that it would snub the turning over ceremony which was organized the outgoing CPP chairman, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence who is expected to handover the mantle of leadership on Friday.
In a statement, the ANC indicated that while they welcome the Unity Party as incoming chair of the CPP, “we regret to announce that the Executive Committee of the ANC has decided that the Party will not attend the CPP turning over ceremony by Sen. Nyonblee Karnga- Lawrence on tomorrow, October 15, 2021.”
According to the ANC, their decision stemmed from their exclusion from the planning and organization of the turnover ceremony, contrary to the practices of the CPP.
“We can no longer continue to tolerate a systematic pattern of conduct that willfully violates the established practices in the CPP,” stated Daniel Naatehn, National Chairman of the ANC.
The ANC further alleged that the program is characterized by wrongful processes, illegal profiteering and sectarian politicization; all practices that are alien to the cherished values of the CPP.
The statement added, “The ANC will only participate in activities that are legalized within the Framework Document, which includes and binds all four parties, and will no longer be expected to ‘go along’ in good faith, as others are knee-deep in violations and bad faith actions”.
This is the second time the ANC is boycotting an activity of the Unity Party.
It can be recalled that the ANC boycotted the presentation of Mr. Boakai as the Unity Party’s standard bearer to the CPP. The ANC stated at the time that their boycott was in protest to the violation of the CPP Framework Document due to the manner in which Mr. Boakai was chosen to be standard bearer of the UP.
At the same time, the National Executive Committee of Liberty Party has termed as a shock flyers on social media indicating that the party will be turning over the leadership of the CPP to Unity Party on Friday.
Liberty Party in a press release issued on October 12, under the signatures of its secretary general and chairman to its political leader Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence, said such transition should be held at the headquarters of the constituent party that is relinquishing authority and not at the headquarters of the incoming constituent party in line with Article 9.3 (3) of the CPP Framework Document.
The Liberty Party Executive Committee, meanwhile, made specific reference to the case of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) transitioning to the Liberty Party where the program was held at the headquarters of the ANC.
The Liberty Party National Executive Committee Communication to Senator Karnga-Lawrence stated that it was against such tradition and procedures that Liberty Party and the CPP Secretary General wrote the Unity Party on the 13th of September 2021, through its secretary general informing UP of Liberty Party’s readiness to transition and requesting the commencement of transitioning meetings.
“The Unity Party replied and said that on the issue of the transition of authority the party will work with you Madam political leader to inform us on the tradition and procedures, ignoring the fact that the transition is between parties and not individuals,” Liberty Party claimed.
The Liberty Party said such process was initiated by the setting up of a transitional activity before the official turnover ceremony. “It is done in this manner because the transition is not just an event, but a process that includes turning over relevant documents, removing CPP billboards and flags of the party taking over,” the party says.
The Liberty Party further said its communication to Unity Party was clear that the turnover ceremony was the final part of the tradition and, as such, the date for the ceremony needed to be discussed and agreed upon at the transition meeting, but the party said contrary there has been no transition committee set up as requested by the party.