MONROVIA – A founding member of the Congress for Democratic Change, a constituent member of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) says he would kill himself if President George Manneh Weah does not provide him a job by Friday this week.
Joshua Sackie staged a peaceful protest Monday in Congo Town right outside Monrovia.
Sackie was also the first national chairman of the youth league of the CDC, first national vice chairman for administration and the first acting national chairman.
Sackie said he intends to hang himself from an advertisement tower this Friday should his request be ignored.
Back in 2004, prior to the formation of the formation of the CDC as a political party, it was Sackie who made a radio announcement inviting Liberians to meet to discuss the formation of a group to petition Amb. Weah to run for the Liberian presidency.
There was unanimity about the reputation and character of Amb. Weah. They believed that if he could be convinced to accept the petition, it would be phenomenal. With the past history, the group believed at the time that he was the right person for Liberia and also a rallying point that all parties to the conflict in Liberia could easily accept. The organizers believed that George Manneh Weah embodied the hopes and aspirations of the masses, and had the ability and influence to mobilize Liberians into an institution that would spare the nation from civil war, destruction and underdevelopment it had been known for.
During a visit to Liberia, Ambassador Weah agreed to meet with Mr. Sackie and friends. The first meeting of the movement took place at Ambassador Weah’s residence. Many issues were discussed with the Ambassador, including the failure of past regimes due to selfishness and greed. It was suggested that based on his life and character, it will be a honorable thing if he could accept to be the flag bearer of this new movement to send a clear message to the old order that the grass root majority of Liberians were tired of their misrule. The group then went ahead and formally petitioned Ambassador Weah to contest the presidency in the October 11, 2005 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Coalition for Democratic Change Youth League has reacted to Sackie claiming that he abandoned the party and alleged that his threat is driven by the opposition political parties.
“The Revolutionary National Youth League of the Mighty Coalition for Democratic Change condemns in an unambiguous term the threat of violence, war-mongering and ill-advice political tactics been used by oppositions to undermine the high earned peace and stability of our fragile democracy,” Hassan Newland National Deputy Secretary General for Administration of the CDC said.
Newland said Sackie ‘betrayed’ the CDC since 2011 and should not demand the party to include him into government by threat.
Newland stated: “It has come to the attention of the Revolutionary National Youth League that one who betrayed and abandoned the popular people’s struggle in opposition is now creating an impression of being abandoned by the same CDC after selling out to the Unity Party.”
“It bewilders us that this political traitor who was purchased by the Unity Party that led to the bloody November 7 in 2011 and the death of several of our compatriots – innocent souls.”
The CDC Youth League then called on the International Community, the Inter-Religious Council, and civil society groupings to take note of what it calls “counter political maneuvering,” which it accused the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) of instituting, “to derail the hard-earned peace and stability of our country.”