Monrovia – Tuesday was a busy day for Mr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, as he held a series of meetings in Monrovia with key Liberian stakeholders, including President Joseph Boakai and former President George Weah, who leads the nation’s largest opposition party, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)[email protected], Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The meetings followed a raid on the CDC headquarters, which led to a violent altercation between the police and CDC partisans. The incident prompted former President Weah to complain to the ECOWAS Commission’s President, describing the raid as an “unprovoked attack” on his party’s headquarters.
Although ECOWAS stated that Touray’s visit to Liberia was not a direct response to Weah’s letter, he appears to be playing the role of mediator between the Liberian government and the CDC.
Addressing the Liberian media after his meeting with Weah at his residence, Mr. Touray stated the ongoing political impasse was discussed extensively with both parties, who expressed their commitment to promoting peace and reconciliation.
“Certainly, it is no secret that [former] President Weah has written to me about his concerns, and those concerns were raised with the government and with President Weah himself,” Touray said. “I can say the government is not oblivious to some of these concerns. We have received some explanations, and some of it is a matter of miscommunication. We encourage all sides to communicate more effectively to avoid misunderstandings. This is an ongoing process, but what is important is the commitment from all sides to work towards the peace and development of Liberia.”
Touray emphasized that his visit to Liberia was primarily to congratulate both President Boakai and former President Weah, as well as all Liberians, for the peaceful transition of power. He stressed that reconciliation is now the way forward.
“Beyond the transition, our purpose here is to support reconciliation. A President may be presented by one political party, but once elected, he or she serves as the President of the entire country,” Touray noted.
Mr. Touray added that he had discussed with President Boakai the importance of serving as President for all Liberians. “Relationships with political parties and stakeholders are important. Where there are concerns, it is ECOWAS’s role to investigate and ensure these concerns do not hinder nation-building, which is critical.”
In the closed-door meeting, former President Weah reaffirmed his commitment to peace, security, and democratic consolidation in Liberia.
“The message we are taking from President Weah is that he stands for peace and security, he supports accountability, and he believes in transparent initiatives,” Touray said. “There should be sufficient consultation, and whatever is done should be inclusive to avoid sending the wrong signals.”
‘CDC Rights Were Violated’
Lenn Eugene Nagbe, who was present at the closed-door meeting between the ECOWAS Commission head and former President Weah, disclosed that Weah raised several issues his party has faced with the current administration. These included concerns over the “rollback of the rule of law and the misuse of prosecutorial power to advance political interests.”
“We called on ECOWAS through President Touray to initiate an early warning mechanism to ensure our country remains stable,” Nagbe said. He added that Weah also spoke about a statement made by President Boakai and some members of the Legislature regarding erasing the CDC, which Weah found alarming.
Certainly, is it no secret that [former] President Weah has written to me about his concerns and those concerns were raised with the government and with President Weah himself. I can say government is not oblivious to some of those concerns. We have received some explanations, some of it is the question of miscommunication, and we encourage all sides to communicate so that misgiving, as the result of miscommunication can be avoided. This is an ongoing process, and what is important is the commitment that all sides are willing to work for the peace and development of Liberia.
– Omar Alieu Touray, President, ECOWAS Commission
Nagbe also mentioned that contrary to widespread belief the CDC is not interested in the fight against corruption, the party’s officials and members were served during the Weah administration are cooperating with authority to respond to audits reports.
“Our issue is when you weaponize the system,” Nagbe responded. “You cannot claim to be fighting for justice and then ignore a Supreme Court ruling that prevents you from removing someone from tenure, only to use the same judicial system to prosecute your political opponents. This sends the wrong message.”
He added: “He [ex-president Weah] was very emphatic and he asked ECOWAS to inform the administration that the fact the CDC is a peaceful party, that does not mean we will sit supinely and allow our rights be violated. Yes, the president is a man of peace… Finally, he said they should inform President Boakai that the CDC will never and can never be erased by anybody because it is our God’s given right to exist. So, anybody wanting to erased the CDC might themselves get erased.” – Lenn Eugene Nagbe, Special Assistant of Ex-President George Weah
He [ex-president Weah] was very emphatic and he asked ECOWAS to inform the administration that the fact the CDC is a peaceful party, that does not mean we will sit supinely and allow our rights be violated. Yes, the president is a man of peace… Finally, he said they should inform President Boakai that the CDC will never and can never be erased by anybody because it is our God’s given right to exist. So, anybody wanting to erased the CDC might themselves get erased.
Lenn Eugene Nagbe, Special Assistant of Ex-President George Weah
Nagbe also highlighted the raid on the CDC headquarters, where police and armed LDEA agents allegedly used lethal and non-lethal weapons against partisans. “We are a democratic political party, and while we participate peacefully in elections, we will not tolerate violations of our constitutional rights.”
Pres. Boakai Pledges Freedom and Transparency
Earlier Tuesday morning, President Boakai met with the visiting ECOWAS delegation. According to a release from the Executive Mansion, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss crucial issues related to nation-building, reconciliation, and Liberia’s future.
President Boakai stated, “In the next two years, Liberia will be an example for the region—a peaceful and transparent country where all citizens, including the opposition, can enjoy freedom and transparency.”
He reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability, emphasizing that the A.R.R.E.S.T. Agenda would be steadily achieved, and that Liberia would continue making strides toward reconciliation and progress for all.
