Monrovia – New details are emerging into the root issues at the bottom of ongoing feud between the political leader of the opposition All Liberia Party (ALP), Benoni Urey and the Leader of the Liberty Party Cllr. Charles Brumskine.
“Mr. Urey and his party are engaged in a one-way feud. Liberty Party is committed to the Ganta Declaration and is not interested in useless banter.
If running against Liberty Party suits the All Liberia Party then by all means let them suit their fancy.
Of course if one does not have credible plans or lift Liberia up then feud is a preferred distraction.
This is beginning to look like an empty drum situation” – Liberty Party reaction to ongoing assaults from ALP
Multiple sources privy to behind-the-scenes discussions at the just-ended coalition discussions in Ganta, Nimba County suggest that an argument between both opposition leaders set off a heated exchange regarding the structure of what was drafted as the Ganta Declaration.
“It started with Urey raising an issue regarding the legal structuring of the Ganta Declaration, which it is said was prepared by Cllr. Charles Brumskine.
Cllr. Brumskine took offense with Mr. Urey’s comment and then stated in a boastful tone that he is the most learned and most read lawyer in Liberia. Mr. Urey came back at him saying that he won’t allow Cllr. Brumskine to talk down to him as he is known for doing to others.”
To this response by Urey, Brumskine fell silent.
Cllr. Brumskine, according to one source, had also in other exchange suggested that there was a long period in our history when Liberia was a one-party state.
But Mr. Urey and others reportedly rejected the claim, stating that there had always been an opposition, only that they were not strong.
Things got so heated, according to the source that Cllr. Brumskine asked Urey: “What do you know about law?”
rey responded: “I also went to law school with only one semester to graduate had the war not come.”
Then Brumskine said I can sit you down to my feet and teach you law” And then Urey said, “Brumskine, don’t bring your arrogance to me as you do to other politicians.”
The Liberty Party, which says it is taking the high road in the debacle when contacted Monday, declined to respond to the latest twist but party chairman Ben Sanvee insisted that the LP would not be drawn into a war of words with Cllr. Brumskine and the LP.
Said Sanvee: “Mr. Urey and his party are engaged in a one-way feud. Liberty Party is committed to the Ganta Declaration and is not interested in useless banter. If running against Liberty Party suits the All Liberian Party, then by all means let them suit their fancy. Of course if one does not have credible plans to lift Liberia up then feud is a preferred distraction. This is beginning to look like an empty drum situation.”
Relations between the two parties have been rocky for some time now, with the ALP accusing the LP of being in bed with the ruling Unity Party.
Urey-Brumskine partake in Collaboration talks
The two rival politicians, Urey and Brumskine formed part of twelve opposition political parties that gathered in Ganta, Nimba County for a merger talk organized by Senator Prince Johnson.
Political parties in attendance were Senator Johnson’s Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine’s Liberty Party, Benoni Urey’s All Liberian Party (ALP) and Alexander Cummings’ Alternative National Congress (ANC).
Other parties included the former ruling National Patriotic Parties (NPP), Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), Movement for Progressive Change, All Liberia Coalition Party, Victory for Change Party, New Liberia Party, Vision for Liberia Transformation, Union of Liberian Democrats and Liberian Nation Union (LINU).
Under the aegis Opposition Political Parties Collaboration Summit, the Ganta meeting claimed the attention of thousands of locals, who began converging at the venue of the meeting hours before the talks kicked off.
Urey and Brumskine sat around the same table just as other politicians including George Weah, Alexander Cummings and others.
The two politicians including all of the political leaders who made remarks at the start of the meeting called for a cohesive opposition in 2017.
“Today, our being here is simply to work in concert for the purpose of finding a lasting solution to Liberia’s mountain problems which being fully aware of, we need not enumerate,” Senator Johnson said during the talks.
“Despite our diversity of political ideologies, there is still a possibility of placing all of our respective problems and views. What can opposition political parties do to rebuild and restructure the entire fabrics of the nation?”
The dozen political parties signed a communiqué where, among many things, they agreed to build a stronger collaboration as they approached the pending 2017 presidential and general elections.
“Opposition political parties that are signatories to this declaration hereby make a seldom pledged not to castigate or denigrate each other in any manner and form.
In the event of disagreement among or between political parties the matter shall be referred to the joint technical committee for resolution,” the relevant portion of the document read.
Urey-Brumskine Feud threatens collaboration
However, the feud between Urey and Brumskine threatened the political parties collaboration less than 24 hours after the Ganta meeting with sympathizers and partisans of Urey and Brumskine violating the clauses.
First Henry Costa, a pronounced sympathizer of Urey, taunted Cllr. Brumskine for not being trusted and a strange bedfellow.
“I regret to inform you all that the much talked-about meeting of opposition political parties in Ganta, Nimba County, was a failure,” he chimed on his Facebook page just in a day after the talks.
“Nothing was accomplished. They met, lectured, ate and drank. No goals were set, and certainly no plans to advance the conversation for a possible coalition for 2017. It is a sad day for Liberia.”
“We are just from Ganta and committed ourselves to the Declaration. Less than 24hrs, Urey is breaching the spirit and intent thereof,” LP’s undersecretary General Darius Dillon responded on his on social media.
“I have posted in here several social media postings of folks from Urey’s camping clearly undermining the objective of these talks.
Again, this morning, Urey has his surrogate Costa attacking our Political Leader and our Party on his radio station Shaita FM 102.5.
I am not gonna say a word; I do not want to be the alibi people will use to blame us, but this cannot be allowed to continue,” Dillon added.