Monrovia – Former Vice President Joseph Boakai has cautioned members of the Collaborating Political Parties(CPP) against making negative utterances that could hurt the group’s chances of holding together ahead of the upcoming Senatorial Midterm elections and the 2023 General and Presidential elections.
Speaking at a formal program held at the headquarters of the Alternative National Congress(ANC), commemorating the certification program, the former Vice President and ex-standard bearer of the former ruling Unity Party, called on Liberians and supporters of the CPP to hold leaders of the CPP to its framework agreement.
Said Mr. Boakai: “The CPP will not work if you don’t encourage the leaders, the voices you utter, the divisive words that you utter will make or break this CPP. It is not how many cars individuals can have but what we can do to showcase our country.”
Mr. Boakai lamented the breakdown of law and order at a crucial time in Liberia. “This is a very serious moment we cannot have a country 173 years no road, no defined education system. It is not that we don’t know it, but we need leadership that will direct the country.”
Mr. Boakai promised that the CPP leadership of Liberia will begin to show direction in less than a year and Liberians will begin to be respected by its neighbors. “Our friends around the region call us the biggest football field. We want to bring discipline in this country that would teach young people that this country is a great country with a lot of potential.”
Mr. Boakai said the UP is fully on board with the opposition alliance. “As for the Unity Party, there’s no shaking, we are with the CPP and will submit to all that we have agreed to. we have to work a lot to ensure that this happen, and we want to work to keep it.”
“We want to thank the Liberian people for believing in us and as we look ahead. We have to do things differently in Liberia if we desire a better country. We cannot used the same thinking that got us to this point. We need all Liberians to work together to develop our country. This is just the beginning of the journey, and we need to work hard to ensure that this collaboration work and for the transformation of this country.”
Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, Alternative National Congress
The NEC certificated the opposition collaborating in fulfillment of Section 8.5 of the new elections laws that speaks to the formulation of alliance.
Presenting the certificate, Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansannah said, the CPP has met all legal requirement by the constitution and elections laws to form an alliance.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, following a through and index process I am pleased to inform you that the propose alliance by the UP, ALP, LP and ANC have met all the legal requirement to be certificated as a political alliance to be call the Collaborating political parties.”
The CPP comprises four political parties including the former ruling Unity Party (UP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), All Liberian Party (ALP), and the Liberty Party (LP).
Mr. Alexander Cummings, the current head of the collaboration cautioned members of the CPP to do things differently that would yield positive results for the betterment of Country and its people.
“We want to thank the Liberian people for believing in us and as we look ahead. We have to do things differently in Liberia if we desire a better country. We cannot used the same thinking that got us to this point. We need all Liberians to work together to develop our country. This is just the beginning of the journey, and we need to work hard to ensure that this collaboration work and for the transformation of this country.”
Article 79 of the 1986 Liberian constitution states that: No association, by whatever name called, shall function as a political party, nor shall any citizen be an independent candidate for election to public office, unless: a. the association or independent candidate and his organization meet the minimum registration requirements laid down by the Elections Commission and are registered with it”.
It adds that: “Registration requirements shall include filing with the Elections Commission a copy of the constitution of the association and guidelines of the independent candidate and his organization, a detailed statement of the names and addresses of the association and its officers or of the independent candidate and the officers of his organization, and fulfillment of the provision of sub-sections (b), (c), (d) and (e) hereof”.
Section 8.5 of the new electoral law states that: “Registered political parties may be allowed to form alliances and coalitions as provided by this Section. (1) Procedure registered political parties wishing to form an alliance or coalition shall each pass a resolution consenting to the alliance or coalition signed by an absolute majority (50% of the votes plus one vote) of the members of the executive committee; (2) Plan of alliance or coalition-The Executive Committee of each registered political party proposed to participate in the alliance or coalition shall approve a plan of alliance or coalition setting forth: (a) The name of each constituent registered political party (b) Terms and conditions of the proposed alliance or coalition, including the intended duration of the alliance or coalition and the (c) filing of plan of alliance or coalition.
The constitution adds: “The NEC shall issue a certificate of accreditation in the name of the alliance or coalition. (5) When alliances or coalitions may be formed Alliances or coalitions may be formed not later than eight (8) weeks prior to the first ballot” the section among other things states.”