THEY GATHERED IN GANTA, NIMBA County at the behest of Senator Prince Johnson for what should have been a grand coalition to unseat the ruling Unity Party but barely before they could depart, temper tantrums began to flare as Benoni Urey and Cllr. Charles Brumskine engaged in a war of words regarding the structure of the drafted Ganta Declaration.
AMONGST THOSE IN ATTENDANCE were Senator Prince Johnson, Alexander Cummings, Charles Brumskine, Benoni Urey, and a host of leaders of other political parties who are hell bent on making sure that Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai doesn’t succeed President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to extend the stay of the Unity Party-led government.
AS PART OF THE COMMUNIQUÉ signed in Ganta, the parties agreed not to attack each other, setting up a particular committee to probe any complaints regarding violations by any of the political parties or individuals.
IT WAS SOON SHORT-LIVED WHEN hot air filled the room, becoming humid for Cllr. Brumskine and Urey beyond room temperature and then words began to fly.
MULTIPLE SOURCES PRIVY TO BEHIND-the-scenes discussions at the just-ended coalition discussions in Ganta, Nimba County suggest that an argument between both opposition leaders set off a heated exchange regarding the structure of what was drafted as the Ganta Declaration.
“IT STARTED WITH UREY RAISING an issue regarding the legal structuring of the Ganta Declaration which, it is said, was prepared by Cllr. Charles Brumskine. Cllr. Brumskine took offense with Urey’s comment and then stated in a boastful tone that he was the most learned and most read lawyer in Liberia. Urey came back at him saying that he won’t allow Cllr. Brumskine to talk down to him as he is known for doing to others,” said one of the sources.
IT IS REPORTED THAT CLLR. Brumskine didn’t retort when Urey snapped back. But just what is about these two that there is so much mutual dislike and mistrust for the other.
CLLR. BRUMSKINE AND UREY, two candidates of Americo-Liberian ancestry, both of whom served in the Charles Ghankay Taylor administration and were reported to be part of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) led revolution which killed over 250,000 countrymen and women and subsequently led Taylor to the seat of the presidency.
UREY WOULD GO TO THE LUCRATIVE then Bureau of Maritime Affairs, now Liberia Maritime Authority (LMA), as head of the agency, while Brumskine went on to take the top job as President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate following presidential election and legislative one of Proportional Representation (PR).
IN THE LATTER PART OF THE administration, one would flee to the United States to seek political asylum, citing disagreement over policy differences and threats to his life, while the other would remain and was at the airport when former President Taylor uttered his famous words “God’s willing, I’ll be back.” While the other he felt he was a traitor after being a part of the revolution from the onset; remarking at one time that “We want our country back”, being one of the architects behind the Status of Forces Agreement that saw the exodus of the of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) from the country following the elections in 1997.
THEY WOULD MEET LATER at intervals in 2005 during the nation’s first post-war general and presidential elections when the nation was at a crossroads over a former FIFA World Best football player and a former World Bank official and United Nations official. Brumskine remained on the fence, declaring neutrality and Urey supported the former, drawing the ire of the cliquish Americo-Liberian community of which they are both a part.
THE MUTUAL DISLIKE BETWEEN the two men is not unclear and certainly not understandable. However, when they meet to join forces in the upcoming general presidential elections, they should have placed their petit squabbles aside to work together in order to give Liberians a better alternative for 2017.
THAT TWO OF THE MAIN CONTENDERS cannot trust the other due to their huge egos, exemplified that whatever the reasons they were huddled in Ganta is dead before it could even been given a life of its own. It would even become laughable and ironic to hear these two talk about reconciliation in their respective platforms, if there is any, when they cannot even kiss up to make up for a rebound that would land a seat at the presidency—a stitch in time.
THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN the two individuals could affect the much discussed collaboration between opposition political parties, and it is time for them to settle their differences and work together for one common goal.
THESE KINDS OF DISAGREEMENT will come at an incentive to the ruling Unity Party in its quest to stay unto to power which a divided opposition will surely provide for the ruling party.