MONROVIA – The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) comprising of the ALL Liberian Party (ALP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), Liberty Party (LP) and the Unity Party (UP) has signed a legal framework document with a call on leaders of each political parties to put their differences aside and work in the interest of the Liberian people.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
There has been a somehow tough exchange of words between Benoni Urey, the Political leader of the ALP, and Alexander B. Cummings of the ANC, something that has drawn criticisms from a segment of the public and raises doubts on whether the collaboration will hold.
But in his opening remarks at the signing of the ‘Final Collaborative Framework Document’ at the Farmington Hotel on Tuesday, May 19, the outgoing Chairman of the CPP, Benoni Urey, said despite their disagreement on some political issues, the CPP will always put the collective interest of the Liberian first.
He admitted that the major problem of the CPP is the political ambition if its leaders, but for the sake of the country, they should put the will of the Liberian people first.
“Fundamentally, I don’t believe there are any differences between the ANC [Alternative National Congress], Liberty Party, the Unity and the ALP [All Liberian Party]. Our only problem is our political ambitions. We must lay our political ambitions aside and think about the suffering of our people. We must listen to the will of the Liberian people,” Urey urged.
“I want to remind all of us that we have an obligation to the Liberian people. We must ensure that the will of the Liberian people prevail and that will supersedes our personal ambition.”
Speaking further, Urey described the frame work as a living document that will be used by the CPP to ensure the dreams and aspirations of Liberians are realized.
“This document is a living document. Nothing in here is carved in stone. This document, I believe will move from imperfection to perfection. Once we have agreement among the four of us, we will certainly make the changes or make the corrections to ensure that the aspiration of the four political parties are taken into consideration in this document.”
He paid homage to the founders of the CPP including the late Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, whose death he described as the greatest blow to the collaboration.
“Fundamentally, I don’t believe there is any differences between the ANC [Alternative National Congress], Liberty Party, the Unity and the ALP [All Liberian Party]. Our only problem is our political ambitions. We must lay our political ambitions aside and think about the suffering of our people. We must listen to the will of the Liberian people.”
– Benoni Urey, Political Leader, All Liberian Party
He thanked the political leaders of the CPP including former VP Joseph N. Boakai of the UP, the incoming CPP Chairman, Alexander Cummings of the ANC and Senator Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence of LP, as well as Atty. Koffi Woods for his effort in bringing together the four parties.
What’s In The Framwork?
Meanwhile, the foremost objectives of the CPP, as contained in its constitutional framework in Article Four, among other things, called for the presentation of “a single presidential ticket and or legislative candidates for all elections leading up to and including 2023 general and presidential elections; to forge and support a common national interest and present a common political agenda to the Liberian people.”
The CPP also desires “to work toward an eventual merger of the constituent political parties; to strengthen our democracy through grassroots engagement with our people, using town hall meetings, community engagements, radio and technology, etc.; to reduce the number of political parties to an affordable number in response to the desire of our people; to ensure gender-equality in public service.”
