Monrovia – Fresh crisis has hit Benoni Urey’s All Liberian Party (ALP) as nine of its county chairmen and one executive committee member Wednesday, January 5 tendered in their resignations, citing the mismanagement of the party within the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
The ALP is a member of a four-party collaboration comprising of the former ruling Unity Party of former Vice President Joseph Boakai, Alexander Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) , Liberty Party (LP)of Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence.
In a joint letter of resignation, the chairmen wrote: “There have been many instances where the party has been mismanaged and wrongly directed. Many officials of the party have been mistreated and this brings us to the end of the road.”
“In this light, we wish to inform all of our supporters in and out of Liberia that we do not, and we didn’t support the disintegration of the CPP which we spent sleepless nights on to build. This collaboration was built on our sweat, blood and tears. We shall not participate in its breakdown to satisfy the gains of anyone.”
“In view of thereof, we take this time to inform all of our supporters of our decision to terminate our membership with the ALP effective today, January 5, 2022. We want to say a big thank you to all those partisans who gave us their support and loyalty during our time of service,” the aggrieved ALP partisans said.
They, however, didn’t disclose which party they would join, saying that “our decisions will be in the best interest of moving Liberia forward as we can’t continue doing the same wrong thing and expect different results”.
Looming cracks within CPP
The latest decision by the nine chairmen of the ALP comes following a decision by the the Executive Committee (NEC) of the ALP mandating its National Chairman and Political Leader to effect an immediate withdrawal of the party from the CPP.
The EC’s decision was made as a result of a comprehensive review of the party’s participation in the CPP , the uncertainties about the political future of the collaboration, the lack of strong will to implement the findings of the CPP FA Investigative Committee’s findings of the alterations of the CPP’s Framework Agreement , among other issues.
Cummings, Urey enmeshed in legal battle
Meanwhile, days later, the Monrovia City Court acting on a filing from Urey’s ALP has issued a Writ of Arrest for Cummings, who is also a former chair of the CPP.
Political observers say Urey and the ALP’s action is consistent with a longstanding conspiracy to breakup the CPP which some say, points to a broken opposition which could most likely lead to an easy second term victory for the incumbent President George Weah.
Cummings is in a head-to-head fight with former Vice President Joseph Boakai to head the alliance’s ticket to face off against President Weah.
According to the ALP, the decision was made as a result of a comprehensive review of the party’s participation in the CPP, the uncertainties about the political future of the collaboration, the lack of strong will to implement the findings of the CPP FA Investigative Committee’s findings of the alterations of the CPP’s Framework Agreement, among other issues.
ALP is a strong political ally of Boakai. The party is now seeking legal action for what they termed as “unlawful attachment” of its leaders’ signatures to the alleged altered Framework Document filed with the National Elections Commission.
The writ obtained by FrontPageAfrica moments ago reads as follows:
“You are hereby commanded to arrest the living bodies of Alexander B. Cummings and others to be identified, defendants and forthwith bring them before the Monrovia City Magisterial Court Temple of Justice to answer to the crime of Forgery and Criminal Conspiracy based upon the oath and complaint of the Republic of Liberia by and thru All Liberian Party by and thru its National Chairman, Theodore Momo, plaintiff in which it is substantially alleged as follows wit
That during the period of May, A.D. 2020 up to and including July, AD. 2020, in the city of Monrovia, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, the within named defendant being there and then in violation of section 15.70 of the New Penal Law of Liberia, purposely connived, conspired and jointly did alter the framework documents of the CPP, thus deceiving the private prosecutor and the public regarding the content and averments of the said document specifically the period a party may exit from the CPP, which was unresolved, but that the said defendants out of deception, surreptitiously altered same, thereby making it to appear that the party has formerly resolved that issue and others appertaining thereto.
The alleged act of the defendants being unlawful, wicked, criminal, illegal and intentional is a violation of Section 15.70 of the New Penal Law of Liberia there and then the crimes herein the defendants did to and commit.
Cummings: “Baseless and unfounded charges”
Responding to the charges brought against him by the ALP, Cummings termed same as being baseless and unfounded.
He told the BBC in an interview, that he’s of the belief that the political Leader of the ALP, Urey is perhaps being used by the Government of Liberia, because according to him, a united opposition makes it more difficult for President George Weah to retain state power after the conduct of the 2023 elections.
“I believe Urey is perhaps being used by the government because a united opposition makes it more difficult for President Weah to replace himself,” he said.
Cummings wondered why the ALP has already decided to quit the coalition, would be leveling such allegations against him and the ANC, which remains a constituent member party of the CPP.
“I think the ALP have decided they want to leave the CPP, which is of course, their right – and therefore, I don’t understand the basis for these allegations; they’re unfounded, and I believe it’s all political,” Cummings said, adding that the ALP’s court action would not deter him, vowing to remain determined in the process to oust President Weah through the ballot box.
“We are determined to run the political course to make our case to the Liberian people to make Mr. Weah a one-term president,” he stressed.
Asked whether he was guilty as charged, Cummings averred that the charges against him are completely untrue, indicating, “We did not conspire or alter the framework document. The document was reviewed and approved by all political parties, and so the allegations are completely unfounded, and I would say again that this is political.”
“We are about 18 months away from the next elections, and this is all meant to discredit me, and again, no basis absolutely, in the allegations that are being made,” he emphasized, noting that those allegations apply to him and the ANC, and that he’s in no way exempted or in any way abdicated from the amendment that is being alleged.
“So why would I alter or change a document that equally affects me as it does everybody else? This is why this is baseless, it is political – but, when we actually receive the writ, as a legal law-abiding citizen, we will make ourselves available to whatever the processes are per our lawyers’ recommendation,” the ANC Political Leader pointed out.
Asked about a fractured opposition facing difficulty to be able to unseat Weah –
He said the ALP’s lawsuit in no way suggests that the opposition is fractured to the point of being able to win against incumbent President Weah in 2023, stating that what the lawsuit means instead, is that one of the constituent parties in the CPP has decided to leave and is attempting to fracture the CPP. But there are other political parties and political actors, that are determined to build a coalition that likely would not include the ALP, to take on President Weah.
“And I’m confident, given the President’s performance, and given a viable alternative, the Liberian people will make President Weah a one-term president, and we are committed to our effort of coalescing the opposition to make that a reality,” Cummings bragged.