Monrovia — The opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has sharply condemned President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s recent national address on the rule of law, accusing the Liberian leader of hypocrisy, selective prosecution and failing to confront alleged drug-cartel infiltration within the country’s security institutions.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The CDC’s statement, issued Thursday, August 27, also announced the return of its Political Leader and former President George Manneh Weah on September 2, 2026, and disclosed plans for an opposition leaders’ roundtable to discuss Liberia’s political, economic, security and governance challenges.
The party’s National Executive Committee described President Boakai’s August 26 address as “dishonest and nefarious,” arguing that his remarks on the rule of law were inconsistent with what it characterized as his administration’s record.
The CDC alleged that the president’s son, Jojo Boakai, who the party said was publicly named in a video by an alleged cocaine cartel, remains free from accountability.
The party provided no independent evidence in its statement establishing criminal wrongdoing by the president’s son.
The CDC also accused the administration of failing to take action against senior security officials, specifically Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, over the movement of the massive cocaine consignment recently seized in Liberia.
The party alleged that approximately 3,971 kilograms of cocaine were escorted by the Liberia National Police under Coleman’s command.
The CDC said the circumstances surrounding the shipment warrant an independent investigation rather than political rhetoric.
“President Boakai’s speech on the rule of law is a mockery of democratic and constitutional governance,” the party said, while accusing the administration of violating statutory and constitutional requirements and disregarding Supreme Court rulings.
CDC Demands Independent Drug-Trafficking Probe
At the center of the CDC’s statement is a renewed demand for an independent investigation into transnational drug trafficking in Liberia.
The opposition party called for a probe into allegations that international drug-trafficking networks have penetrated Liberia’s state and national security institutions.
According to the CDC, such an investigation must be “credible, impartial and free from political interference.”
The party argued that Liberians deserve transparency and equal application of the law rather than what it described as selective prosecution, political intimidation and official speeches designed to conceal failures in addressing the country’s growing cocaine crisis.
“A compromised national security apparatus cannot investigate itself,” the CDC declared.
The statement comes amid heightened political tensions surrounding Liberia’s recent multimillion-dollar cocaine seizures and the investigation and prosecution of several individuals, including former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor.
CDC Announces Weah’s Return
Meanwhile, the CDC announced that former President George Manneh Weah is expected to return to Liberia on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
The party said a special steering committee headed by former House Speaker Dr. Bhofal Chambers has been established to coordinate activities surrounding Weah’s return.
The committee includes CDC lawmakers and other senior party officials.
The CDC called on its partisans, supporters and well-wishers, as well as “peace-loving Liberians,” to participate in welcoming the former president.
Weah, who led the CDC administration from 2018 to 2024, remains the political leader of the opposition party.
Opposition Leaders to Meet
Five days after Weah’s scheduled return, opposition leaders are expected to gather at the Jamaica Resort in Paynesville for a roundtable discussion on Saturday, September 5.
The CDC has designated former Foreign Minister Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah to lead and coordinate the engagement, which will be presided over by Weah.
According to the CDC, the meeting is intended to bring together opposition leaders to examine Liberia’s political, economic, security and governance challenges.
The party said the engagement will also seek to strengthen cooperation among opposition actors in defense of democracy, constitutional governance and national accountability.
The announcement comes as Liberia’s political opposition increasingly focuses on government accountability, the rule of law and the handling of the country’s escalating drug-trafficking crisis.
CDC Mourns Janjay Baikpeh
The CDC statement also opened with a tribute to Janjay Baikpeh, former Superintendent of Grand Bassa County and former CDC Grand Bassa County Chairman, whose death the party described as a significant loss to its political movement.
Baikpeh previously served as National Vice Chairman for Operations of the Revolutionary National Youth League and was a 2023 senatorial candidate for Grand Bassa County.
The CDC described him as a loyal and committed party leader whose service extended from the political movement to public office.
The party extended condolences to his family, friends, supporters, and the people of Grand Bassa County.
A special committee headed by Dr. Bhofal Chambers will coordinate the CDC’s participation in activities surrounding Baikpeh’s funeral and homegoing ceremonies in Grand Bassa County.
The party said his contributions would remain part of the history of the CDC.
Political Battle Intensifies
The CDC’s latest statement adds another layer to an increasingly heated political confrontation between the opposition and the Boakai administration.
While the government has defended its fight against illicit drugs as evidence of political will and commitment to the rule of law, the CDC has repeatedly questioned the credibility, impartiality and scope of the investigations.
Political Observers say the opposition’s call for an independent investigation is likely to intensify pressure on the government to publicly account for the movement of the massive cocaine consignments, identify all individuals involved and demonstrate that investigations are being conducted without political interference.
For the CDC, the controversy has now expanded beyond individual arrests and prosecutions into a broader challenge over the integrity of Liberia’s national security institutions and the government’s commitment to equal justice.
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