MONROVIA – Prominent human rights lawyer and former Solicitor General, Tiawan Saye Gongloe, has urged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to tolerate public criticism, reminding him that he was himself a vocal critic of the previous government.

By Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com 

In a Monday public education commentary titled “Why Complain About Criticism, Mr. President? Did You Not Criticize President Weah Too?”, Gongloe said Mr. Boakai, while in opposition, openly condemned insecurity, violent crime, drug trafficking and what he saw as the Weah government’s failure to protect citizens.

“Criticism was legitimate then; it cannot become illegitimate merely because the critic has become President,” Gongloe wrote, describing criticism as “the soul of democracy.”

He noted that Liberia has a long tradition of citizens questioning those in power. He cited Albert Porte and Tuan Wreh, who challenged the Tubman system, as well as Togba-Nah Tipoteh, Gabriel Baccus Matthews, Amos Sawyer, Dew Mayson, Oscar Quiah and student leaders who confronted the Tolbert government. He added that Liberians continued to speak out, often at great personal risk, under the authoritarian rule of Samuel Doe and Charles Taylor.

Gongloe recalled the late Nagbe Sloh’s remark on ELBC that in a democracy, “you talk your own and I talk my own,” and the late Joe Mulbah’s saying that “jaw-jaw is better than war-war.” He said it is better for citizens to fight with words and ideas than with guns, calling this democracy’s “greatest safety valve.”

He argued that criticism helps governments see what they may be missing, warning that a President surrounded by officials who always say “yes” may never hear what ordinary citizens are experiencing.

Citing the rule of law, Gongloe pointed to a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that found President Boakai’s nominations to several already-occupied tenured positions violated the incumbents’ due-process rights, and ordered the nominations revoked. “That is precisely why public criticism and judicial scrutiny matter,” he said.

Gongloe said he has criticized many governments and bears the physical evidence of it, a memory he said will remain with him until death. He said he continues to criticize the government while offering solutions, and is himself criticized from both sides: some Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) partisans fault him when he commends the Unity Party (UP) government, while some UP members and supporters label him a CDC sympathizer when he criticizes it.

“That is democracy,” he said, adding that people will always disagree peacefully and respectfully, and that this helps officials know what citizens are thinking.

Gongloe concluded with advice to the President: “Let the people talk. Don’t complain. Listen! Correct what is wrong. Explain where the government disagrees.”

“Criticism is not the enemy of democracy. Silence is,” he said, calling silence “a very dangerous enemy of democracy.”

Monrovia – Experienced Liberian Economist and Politician, Francis Chuchu Horton has joined the bandwagon of support for the Boakai, Nuquay Ticket in the October 10, 2017 Poll.

Report by Willie Tokpah – willie.tokpah@frontpageafricaonline.com

The former Central Bank Governor popularly known as ‘Chuchu’ noted that his support to the Boakai-Nuquay Ticket is not aimed at seeking for job since he has already reached his retirement age, but squarely meant to ensure that Liberia gets a true leadership that will drive the country to the next level.

His endorsement of Joseph Nyuman Boakai for the presidency and James Emmanuel Nuquay for the Vice Presidential slot comes Thursday, September 14, 2017, days to the official campaign launch of the ruling Unity Party Presidential bid scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2017.

Mr. Horton feels Boakai and Nuquay are best suited amongst several vying for the country’s highest seat, following evaluation of several pairs for the Liberian first and second highest seats.

“It is therefore in this context and background; that I endorse the candidacy of Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Emmanuel James Nuquay to be elected as president and vice president of the Republic of Liberia, on October 10, 2017.”

“ They are my choice; difficult as it might have been, given the number of personalities running for these positions, individuals whom I have known and interacted with and I have found them to be honorable person, but I have made my choice,” Horton said.

According to Horton, his preference of the Boakai-Nuquay Ticket is not based on sentiment but on substantiating realities which can be found and easily verified.

Speaking in Fiama Sinkor, the experienced and popular Liberian statesman who sees himself as an example for direction, Horton thinks it is time for the right people to lead Liberia, something he dares not ignore.

He holds the views that despite no one has rights to question the National Elections Commission certification of various presidential candidates, Boakai and Nuquay remain his choice who are deem honorable to lead Liberia.

Chuchu admonished Liberians participate in the voting process but to do it critically with conscientious diligence in moving Liberia positively, reminding them that their decisions would serve as indispensable key to forging the future.

Amongst several criteria best suited for Boakai-Nuquay leadership bid, the founder of Operation Mass Support-UPMASS named the pairs uniqueness as born and bred Liberians, their attributes that characterize honesty, sincerity, kindness forgiveness and understanding, being principle minded and being exposed to executive management level in public and private sectors.

Horton further indicated that the candidates among several others understand Liberia and its people very well in relations to custom, tradition and culture and that they do not possess discriminatory attitudes, especially towards tribe, race, religion, color or creed.

He argued that Boakai and Nuquay records over the years show no detail of criminality and have exhibited industrious attributes to not only been employee but employer, while at the same time they believe in the global concept of one world in relation to regional and international cooperation.

The prominent Liberian statesman described the Boakai-Nuquay platform as one that reflects social, economic and political reforms that speaks toward religious freedom for Liberia.

“The candidates must be totally and completely opposed to any form of corruption, but most especially the candidate must be God fearing, and God fearing and Godly in their everyday living,” Horton intoned.

The former CBL-Governor described Boakai as an astute and responsible person whose life is an open book, citing “Joseph Boakai Troubles nobody.”

He also maintained that Boakai services as Managing Director, cabinet minister, Vice President and entrepreneur as well as a businessman in agriculture and other forms of businesses proves his ability to ably lead the country.

On the other hand, Chuchu is confident that Nuquay’s good work over the years speaks resoundingly and sufficiently about the nature and quality of he holds to serve Liberia.

“Why would anyone want to deny the current Vice President Joseph Boakai and Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay the presidency and vice presidency of Liberia when they serve in the second and third highest positions in the Government of Liberia,” Horton asserted.

He supposed that electing Boakai and Nuquay will improve Liberia’s educational system, medical and health system, improvement of the country security network and ensuring freedom of movement as well as improve the communications and infrastructures among others.

Meanwhile, Horton stated that a refusal to take a positive ticket like that of the Unity Party according to the Liberian Economist would prove detrimental to the upliftment of Liberia. 

Monrovia – Fresh general and Presidential elections are a little over one year away as politicians are making frantic efforts to be sworn into office in January 2018 to replace the regime of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Some members of the Liberian Senate where CDC political leader George Weah is serving as Senator of Montserrado County and Vice President Joseph Boakai also constitutionally serving as head of that body are said to be working hard behind the scene to get Vice President Boakai and Weah to contest on a single ticket, convincing Weah to accept a deal

But the task ahead looks hectic especially with the incumbent endeavoring to grip unto power which will see the opposition staying out of power for another six years making it 18 since the country first post war election in 2005.

Before the 2011 election, opposition politicians trumpeted the idea of forming a bloc to unseat the incumbent whom they accused of not having an inclusive government.

But by the time, the 2011 election was approaching the opposition parties became so fragmented that many supported the incumbent ruling party instead of forming a bloc to unseat.

Following the first round of polling where the ruling party led the opposition Congress for Democratic Change by a wide margin in the first round, the CDC could not get the support of other opposition political parties in the second round and ended up boycotting the runoff.

The National Union for Democratic Progress (NUDP) at the time headed by Nimba County Senator Price Johnson that managed third spot pledged its support to the Unity Party and the party that garnered the fourth highest votes, the Liberty Party of Charles Brumskine also went the way of the ruling party leaving the CDC with an uphill battle to face the opposition and the incumbent at the same time.

Now with another political process at hand and the incumbent Vice President already a possible candidate after accepting a petition from citizens of Lofa county to contest and also getting support from several senior officials of the Unity Party, the opposition bloc has another big task to either remain fragmented and stand the risk of losing to the incumbent or collaborate to be much stronger.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf sounded the caveat when she told FrontPageAfrica in a recent interview that no political party can win the election alone.

Said President Sirleaf “There is just one thing I like to say, there is no political party as I see it, based on my political experience that will win these elections without a coalition.

I don’t think any political party can win on its own giving the number of parties, so if you see people negotiating, dialoguing it is because that they have all realized that some coalition has to be made for a particular party or parties to be successful.”

Many in opposition also believe that they cannot win the election alone and Cllr. Brumskine has also pledged to bring the opposition community around the table to form a strong force to fight the incumbent.

Cllr. Brumskine says the only party that he will not reach out to is the incumbent because it is the incumbent that should be beaten at the polls.

But despite the statement from Cllr. Brumskine that he will bring the opposition around the table leaving out the ruling party, there has been talks of possible collaboration between incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai and Cllr. Brumskine and there are also talks of ongoing negotiations between other opposition politicians.

Lawmakers step in collabo talks

Members of the Liberian Senate where CDC political leader George Weah is serving as Senator of Montserrado County and Vice President Boakai also constitutionally serving as head of that body are said to be working hard behind the scene to get Vice President Boakai and Weah to contest on a single ticket.

A credible Senate source comprising one of ten Senators taking part in the negotiations who begged not to be named told FrontPageAfrica that ten Senators have planned and decided to meet and persuade the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) political leader Weah to go as running mate to Vice President Joseph Boakai.

According to the source the Senators have planned to meet the CDC Senator upon his return from an ongoing Abuja meeting. The CDC has consistently said their political leader George Weah will not go as running mate to anyone but welcomes collaboration with other political institutions.

Some Senators have decline forming part of ten of their colleagues who are heading the talks.

Senator Varney Sherman (Grand Cape Mount, Unity Party) told FPA that he is not part of the ten Senators said to be negotiating such deal. “I am not one of them”, Senator Sherman replied a text message from FPA seeking inquiry on his involvement in such negotiation.

Another Senator Alphonso Gaye of Grand Gedeh County also denied that he is part of any such negotiation.

“Why are you asking me this question? Did you hear that I was in a meeting with him sometimes ago?”, said Senator Gaye.

News about a possible collaboration between Cllr. Brumskine of the Liberty Party, (LP) with the CDC seems to be falling apart.

Weah has also expressed willingness to collaborate saying he wants to work with political parties with shared vision.

One sticky issue of any possible collaboration remains the choice who runs top and who settle for vice running mate with Weah and his supporters constantly declaring that Weah cannot run as a vice running mate to any candidate like he did with Cllr. Winston Tubman in 2011.

Weah has himself declared that he does not want to betray the trust of his followers and will not settle for the position of vice running mate. “To achieve this policy objection, the CDC will and must remain at the helm so that the trust of our mass followers is not betrayed,” Weah said.

 Weah and other officials of the CDC have continuously said that their political leader is the best option to head any political collaboration closing the door for individual who might want to collaborate with the intent of heading the collaboration.

The CDC   reacted harshly to a newspaper publication about a collaboration between Weah and Brumskine and Nathaniel McGill, Chairman of the CDC declaring that it is unthinkable that Weah can run as a Vice candidate to any individual.

“I called the Party chairman of Liberty Party and he denied giving the Newspaper that story and our partisans are concerned. I have received more than five-hundred calls just today from partisans who are concerned.

Let’s face the fact everyone expect Weah to contest 2017 even though he has said I want to sit and listen to others which is fair enough.

If we have not had discussions with anyone for someone to suggest now that the most popular man in this country is going number two to any one is unfair, it is good to sit and have a discussion,” McGill said.

Unlike supporters of Cllr. Brumskine and the Liberty Party who are expressing that negotiation will be carried out with opened mind, supporters of Weah on the other hand continue to say their leader is the first choice in any possible collaboration.

Jefferson Koijee, Youth League Chairman of the CDC recently described Weah as the arrow head who cannot play second role to any other individual.

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Monrovia — As the University of Liberia grapples with financial difficulties, an important stakeholder of the institution, the Alumni Association of the University of Liberia (AAUL), will launch a major fund drive to raise US$2 million to help ease the financial burden of the University.

The fund drive will commence at 12 noon this Thursday, April 21, 2016, in the UL Auditorium on the Capitol Hill Campus of the University. The Chief Launcher of the fund drive is Alumnus Joseph N. Boakai, Vice President of the Republic of Liberia.

To guarantee that the fund drive is successful, the Alumni Association has constituted the University of Liberia Alumni Fund Drive Campaign Committee (ULAFUND) to coordinate the drive.

Against this background, the ULAFUND has projected and targeted an overall fund drive campaign of US $2,000,000.00 (Two Millions United States dollars) which is to be raised according to short, medium and long term approaches.

All funds raised will be directed toward faculty and infrastructural development (Internet facility, library, laboratory, alumni center construction, computer labs, electronic processing equipment and scholarships) and other operational costs of the University.

The fund drive will be characterized by presentations underscoring the achievements and challenges of the University of Liberia as well as soliciting financial contributions in cash or kind from invited stakeholders and the general public.

There are two separate dates chosen for the fund drive launching.  This Thursday’s launch will be the first launch in Liberia, while a second launch is being planned for the United States. The Committee also plans to reach UL alumni members in Nigeria and other parts of Africa as well as the world at large.  

All alumni, former students and members of the general public are encouraged to attend this launch to support the University of Liberia.

“I’m touring the country in fulfillment of the mandate from our special convention in Lofa to lead the restructuring and reenergizing of our party. I’m visiting the southeast because what we seek this time is to build a broad coalition to usher in a new era for CHANGE. We intend to leave no one behind on this journey, because this is our moment to renew Liberia’s promise and shape our future for the better” – Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine, Political Leader, opposition Liberty Party

“What had happened was that before the election, I had an interview and I said if I did not win, I would not run again. But shortly thereafter even before the election, I was reminded that this was never about me, it was about Liberia,” the Liberty Party political leader told FrontPageAfrica in a 2015 interview.

With 2017 Presidential elections looming in the wings, the political leader of the opposition liberty party is making his rounds across Liberia looking to repair damage and sell himself as an alternative to the sirleaf-led government. But Are Potential Voters buying the pitch?

In the last few months, Brumskine has been resurrecting his political life of sorts, attempting to correct some of the costly errors that contributed to his losses in the past two elections and making inroads into rural Liberia, capping a nine-day tour of southeast Liberia this week, during which he has been explaining the party’s agenda for the rebuilding of a nation which has been led by the incumbent Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the ruling Unity Party.

A former President Pro Temp of the Liberian Senate during the turbulent Charles Taylor era, Brumskine first contested the Presidency in 2005, receiving nearly 14% of the vote, 6% less than the second-place candidate, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in the first round.

Brumskine however stood on the fence in the second round and failed to throw his weight behind neither of the top two first round candidates, Weah and Sirleaf, a decision which some political observers say led to the beginning of a strain relationship with Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change.

In 2011, Brumskine chose Bong County Senator Franklin Obed Siakor as his running mate in what was seen as a fatal blow to the rest of the field contesting the presidency but the Liberty party candidate finished a distant fourth behind the incumbent Sirleaf, CDC’s Tubman, the Independent Prince Y. Johnson with only 5.5 percent of the votes.

Pitching the Candidate

With 2017 Presidential elections Looming in the Wings, the Political Leader of the Opposition Liberty Party is making his rounds across Liberia, looking to repair some damage and not only sell but trumpet himself as an alternative to the Sirleaf-Led Government.

But Are Potential Voters buying the pitch?

Starting in Greenville, Pleebo and Harper, the past few days, the Liberty Party political leader has been reminding potential voters that the party founded out of the ashes of Liberia’s prolonged civil war with a mission to explore new policy direction that would set Liberia on a progressive path of sustained growth and development, is confident of victory in 2017.

Taking a pointed jab at the ruling party, Cllr. Brumskine showed solidarity with southeasterners for their show of solidarity and praised their resilience in the midst of harsh economic conditions they are faced with while assuring that with determined efforts on the part of all citizens across the country for a new Liberia secured in the four pillars built in the LP Platform, a new era of hope was on the horizon.

The Cllr. Brumskine tour has been greeted with mixed reactions. While resident and elders in Greenville, Pleebo and Harper welcomed and expressed joy that he was once more in their company since 2005, critics of the Liberty Party leader say he has his work cut out from him in convincing voters that he has what it takes to erase the perception that his support is only limited to his homeland, Grand Bassa County which he won in 2005 but lost in 2011.

Addressing the Bassa Label

Cllr. Brumskine accumulated 58 percent of the votes in 2005 distancing football legend George Weah, with 17 percent and Sirleaf who went on to win with six percent. Six years later the candidate’s numbers shrunk from 2005 as he won only 37.6 percent of the votes with Sirleaf finishing a close second with 33.7 percent Winston Tubman won 18.4 percent as the candidate for the opposition Congress for Democratic Change.

While acknowledging that Bassa is his home and offering no apologies, Cllr. Brumskine’s aides say he is in effect looking to address the handicap that defined his candidacy in the past two elections by reaching out to counties beyond his reach as he did when he launched his comeback in Lofa County last year, a vote-rich area which landed the party a crucial senatorial seat in 2014 with the election of Steve Zargo.

“I want to make sure that we are more inclusive than people think that we are, but more importantly the people of Lofa County, they have made the Liberty Party the northern star of Liberian politics.

They took us and placed us way up there, I mean they made us look good coming out of the midterm election, so we feel that it is only fair that Hon. Eugene Fallah Kparkar, who is the chair of Liberty Party’s national campaign committee and Steve Zargo; Senator Zargo who has shown us how to win election in spite of all odds, to give them opportunity to showcase their party to the people of Lofa and the people of Liberia.”

For now Brumskine will be hoping that his southeastern swing go a long way in addressing some of the lapses from ’05 and ’11.

Says the LP leader: “I’m touring the country in fulfillment of the mandate from our special convention in Lofa to lead the restructuring and reenergizing of our party. I’m visiting the southeast because what we seek this time, is to build a broad coalition to usher in a new era for CHANGE. We intend to leave no one behind on this journey, because this is our moment to renew Liberia’s promise and shape our future for the better.”

A Lot Needed to Convince Voters

Some voters have so far appeared convinced, praising the LP leader in Pleebo for his demonstration of maturity in Liberian politics, while acknowledging that they have over the last eleven years learned the difficult lessons of their error and were prepared to look in a new direction

Cllr. Brumskine’s message to the citizens is anchored in the four pillars (Four Rs) of the Liberty Party Platform including   Reconciliation to ensure domestic peace, Reform to establish Justice and many more, Recovery and Rebuilding. To domesticate his message further, Cllr. Brumskine went to the core of some of the economic development issues facing Southeasterners.  

He made particular mention of the need to invest heavily in agriculture to ensure self-sufficiency; supporting and sustaining a value-added orientation in industries such as rubber and oil palm so as to produce materials locally, thereby creating more jobs for the people.

While in Maryland County, he spoke of the strategic nature of the twin Cities of Pleebo and Harper in terms of their population concentration. Cllr. Brumskine went on to say that one of the ways to defeat poverty is by bringing the people together in large population centers, as such undertaking makes it possible for government to better deliver goods and services to them.

Over the 24 hours, aides say, Cllr. Brumskine was making his way to Fish Town where they will be for two days before cruising on to Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County for the final leg of the Southeastern tour.

As Cllr. Brumskine aims to solidify his standings in the southeast, aides say he is also looking to other parts of the country, particular the Western belt and central Liberia in furtherance of the party’s national outreach effort which is to consolidate its membership base, motivating local party workers, and giving a message of hope to the citizens.

Outside the tour, the core issue of Cllr. Brumskine’s third quest for the presidency is how much he will be prepared to convince voters of his electability and why they should take a chance.

Delicate Issue of Criticizing EJS

Gauging from his past two experiences, the Liberty Party leader says he is convince that his third attempt could be the charm even as murmurs of a purported discussion between his party and the incumbent government which suggest him pairing up with Boakai as a running mate for 2017.

Cllr. Brumskine says his most important priority now is to consolidate and mend fences with the opposition. “I have a very good feeling that it is going to be different, but equally important, my drive is to see if we can unite the opposition.

We are so splinter, we are so fragmented. I am hoping that we can learn from the Nigerian experience, where President Buhari bought the opposition together, you know ABC could not have done it alone, it took four major political parties in a merger to come together to beat the ruling party.”

Additionally, the tricky patch for Cllr. Brumskine would be how he handles the delicate issue of criticism of Sirleaf, who is on the way out.

It is an issue he told FrontPageAfrica recently that could come down to one key component, the man Sirleaf is looking to give her blessing to in the succession play, her vice President, Joseph Boakai.

“You know one of the best things that have happened to the opposition is to have the Vice President as a candidate. So we say. I do not have to criticize the government. I leave that with Joe, Joe has to do that himself if he wants to have a shot.

I give you an example, the President has conceded that corruption is a vampire in Liberia so what is Joe going to say, when we are talking about corruption? Is he going to say I have a policy? I have a way of dealing with corruption.

Hi Joe where you have been for the last 12 years? So that should be interesting, I don’t have to criticize an outgoing government. This is our position, President Sirleaf and you know and most people know, I have been one of her harshest critics, when it comes to dealing with her policies.

I do not get personal whether it is with her or any other opposition politician. I criticize her policies but I will tell you that we all must realize that she has done some good and the last thing the Liberian people want is to have us retrogress.

The Liberian people do not even want us to maintain the status core which Joe Boakai will probably, do. We must now move this country forward with someone who has a vision.

Someone who has been tested and proven not to be an appointed official of government but one elected by his people and one who the people he represented still enjoy his trust and he still enjoys their trust. That is what moving forward is about.”

But even if a pairing with Boakai is in the cards as speculations are suggesting, Cllr. Brumskine faces the same challenge members of another opposition, the Congress for Democratic Change, has amid murmurs that their candidate is in behind-the-scenes talks with Boakai: Would their party base accept their candidate as a running mate to a sitting government with a lot of question marks lingering over the past twelve years.

‘Excited About Political Leader’s Tour’

Cllr. Brumskine insists for now that he is looking forward and not backwards. ” I desire the presidency because deep within my heart I believe that our people deserve the kind of leadership that thinks forward. Liberty Party is interested in solutions. We all know what our problems are in this country.

We cannot just afford just to be angry, because anger is not a plan; it should not be the only reason to seek leadership. Anger never inspires hope, and it’s too narrow to sustain a movement. For us, this will be an election to draw the contrast, offer solutions and make the case for our ability and experience to govern.”

For the foreseeable future, the Liberty Party appears to be on a collision course with a pivotal third quest in hopes of attaining the state power which has eluded Brumskine. But like Sirleaf and the Unity Party before; the opposition party’s ability to lure other members of the opposition will be put to the test in the coming weeks and months.  

For the immediate future, several factors including the party’s ability to raise cash could make or break Cllr. Brumskine resurgence as a key political force in Liberia’s political play. For now, party chair Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa says, the emphasis is on building momentum and cementing footing in the areas that matter.

 “We are excited about the political leader’s tour and his reception in the South East. Once he sets up the leadership structure we will be able to embark upon our major membership recruitment drive. We believe this is a major step in becoming the ruling party.”

“I will support Vice President Boakai in all of his endeavour according to how he sets his program to become President. I will give him the fullest support but he will get it the same way I got it. Anybody who gets it, will get it the way I got it, they will go and they will campaign for it and they will fight for it, they will set their targets and they will get it. Besides, it is very important for Liberia’s political maturity to have a peaceful transition for the first time in three decades. It’s important for us and I will not deny the country that, by not seeing it through” – President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Monrovia –   Zeroing in on the 2017 Presidential elections, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, nearing the end of her second and final term has for the first time hinted at the possibility that the ruling Unity Party could pair with an opposition political party in a bid to maintain grip on power.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with FrontPageAfrica at the weekend, the incumbent said due to the multitude of political parties in the country, it will be difficult for a single party to win state power on its own.

“There is just one thing I like to say, there is no political party as I see it, based on my political experience that will win these elections without a coalition. I don’t think any political party can win on its own giving the number of parties. So if you see people negotiating, dialoguing it is because that they have all realized that some coalition has to be made for a particular party or parties to be successful.” Sirleaf’s assertions suggest the 2017 political play could bear some similarity to the formula that brought the ruling party to power in 2006.

Merger in the Cards

In 2005, 22 candidates contested the presidential elections while 16 candidates contest the presidency in the 2011 presidential elections. In 1997, the elections that brought Charles Taylor to power saw 13 candidates eyeing the presidency.

On the eve of the 2011 presidential elections, the ruling Unity Party sealed a deal in Ganta, Nimba County, forming a merger with the Liberia Action Party (LAP) and the Liberia Unification Party (LUP). That same year saw the opposition Liberty Party form a merger with the New Deal Movement (NDM) followed by another merger involving the Dew Mayson-led National Democratic Coalition(NDC). George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) signed a memorandum of understanding with Winston Tubman, the political leader of the Liberian National Union (LINU).

Chapter 8.1 of the guidelines of the National Elections Commission stipulates that registered political parties may be allowed to merge or consolidate. However, “Registered political parties wishing to merge or consolidate shall each pass a resolution consenting to the merger or consolidation signed by 2/3 of the members of the executive committee. In case of merger, a statement of any amendment in articles of incorporation of the surviving registered political party to be effected by such merger, and in case of consolidation, all statements required to be included in articles in incorporation for a political party.”

In recent months, speculations have heightened that backdoor dealings amongst various political parties were going on ahead of the 2017 presidential elections but not without glitches. The opposition Congress for Democratic Change or CDC whose political leader, Weah is poised to announce his candidacy later this month, recently set pre-condition to merge with any political party, including the Liberty Party, which has been pursuing merger with the CDC. The Congress for Democratic Change has come second in two Presidential elections since 2005, while the Liberty Party came third in 2005 and fourth in 2011, respectively.

In July, the CDC said for Liberty Party or any political party to form a merger with it, particularly wanting to take the standard bearer position such party should be to go thru county primaries in all 15 political sub-divisions of Liberia. National Chairman Nathaniel McGill suggested that primaries will be conducted by the National Elections Commission or NEC with funding to be provided by the two parties involve. Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine, political leader of the Liberty Party told FrontPageAfrica in a recent interview that he was open to discussion merger options with other political parties.

Brumskine, whose party saw a merger attempt with CDC fall apart in 2011, has acknowledged that the negotiations process was mishandled. “I think 2011 was mishandled, we don’t want to place blame on Senator Weah, the CDC or ourselves, I think the process was mishandled. Personally, Senator Weah and I have a good relationship like I have tried to develop with all the other politicians including Senator Johnson from Nimba and all the other politicians; we are trying to work with them”.

No Mistrust Between Boakai, EJS

The incumbent also expressed confidence in the ability of the National Elections Commission ensure a credible 2017 general and presidential elections. “We have the National Elections Commission that has carried out two or three successive and successful elections; so to me they have the capacity to do. We hope they look at the electoral guidelines with a little more rigidity, that they will be tougher, to ensure that we have the number of parties that will not be overwhelming as it seems to be, they need to make sure that the processes of elections are free and fair”.

The President added that the international community will be heavily involved in the process, not just to come in on the day or week of elections, but long before the ballots are cast. “We want them to come now, so they can examine the system, they did it once before with some of the by-elections, they tell us that our system was better than many other countries in terms of the inability for people to really cheat, we are asking them to do it again.”

The President averred that needs to be a political discussions and associations, so that political parties themselves can exercise restraint and remain lawful and peaceful in a context. “We need to have all of these things to have it. I do believe that the Liberian people want to have elections, they want to have peaceful and safe elections. They want to be able to choose a leader that they want and they want us to move, forward. For me Liberia political test of maturity will be the election that is coming up in 2017, so I will do all I can to make it happen.”

Regarding her expressed support for her Vice President Joseph Boakai, the President completely ruled out suggestions in some corners that she should step aside now and allow the VP to have some room to show himself as a presidential material, standing on his own.

EJS Unwavering Support for VP Boakai

Said President Sirleaf: “I will support Vice President Boakai in all of his endeavour according to how he sets his program to become President. I will give him the fullest support but he will get it the same way I got it. Anybody who gets it, will get it the way I got it, they will go and they will campaign for it and they will fight for it, they will set their targets and they will get it. Besides, it is very important for Liberia’s political maturity to have a peaceful transition for the first time in three decades. It’s important for us and I will not deny the country that, by not seeing it through.”

The President dismissed suggestions of strain ties between she and her Vice President. “There has never been any mistrust between me and the Vice President”.

In fact, Sirleaf said the bond between she and the Vice President goes deeper. “He has been a long-time friend with me and my family and my husband, so there is no distrust there. So I was never afraid to give him any limelight for fear that he will want my job, not at all. On the other hand, he is a Vice President who is running, the campaign is going to be his campaign. He will have to dictate how he wants it, how much he wants to build on the existing progress to which we have both contributed so much, will be his call, whether he wants to strike off and show that he has a different path that will be his choice and I am going to work with him whichever way he wants”.

Boakai Bracing for Leading-Man Role?

A key part of Boakai’s emergence as a leading man could face a stern test within the party which has seen a number of high profile figures not shy away from a presidential quest of their own. That field includes two former Foreign Ministers in Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan and Dr. Toga McIntosh who declared his intentions to contest the standard bearer-ship of the ruling party Monday during an appearance on the Truth Breakfast Show. House Speaker Alex Tyler, who was a member of the Liberian Action Party merger with Unity Party recently stepped down from the ruling party due to what he termed dissatisfaction “over the ill manner the Party has treated Bomi County(his hometown).”

The Vice President still enjoys the support of the party’s base including Defense Minister Brownie Samukai who has denied politicizing the country’s military but defended his choice for 2017 in a recent VOA Daybreak Africa interview.  “The constitution provides that each and every Liberian citizen has a right to vote his or her choice,” Samukai told VOA. “… And if my choice is going to be the Vice President, yes, it is my choice to vote for him as I want. However, my choice should not interfere with the professional function of the Armed Forces of Liberia.”

Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Gbarnga, Bong County – Followers of recent developments in Bong County politics can easily discern that the Kpelle people are divided between the Liberty Party and the ruling Unity Party.

The wave of endorsements chiefs of the county have bestowed on Charles Brumskine and the Liberty Party as well as vice President Joseph Boakai and his party are enough to allude how citizens are currently enmeshed in the state of the dilemma ahead of 2017.

It was first believed that the establishment of the Kpelle-driven People Unification Party (PUP) would have united citizens of the county ahead of 2017, but in earnest, as things stand the party appears to have shot itself in the leg due to entrenched division amongst elites of the party from Bong County.

The Bong County factor in 2017

In the political equation and as far as election is concerned in Liberia, Bong County holds the third highest voting strength after Montserrado and Nimba. Hence, no serious presidential candidate will jettison what is likely to play out in the two counties.

The politics in Bong County has since the 2011 elections taken a new dimension. If Vice President Boakai and the Unity Party must therefore make a telling impact in the 2017 elections, the votes from Bong will be one of the deciding factors.

Aware of this fact, and in a swift move to secure the support of the Kpelle people, Vice President Boakai recently stormed Gbarnga in a journey that took him to three prominent individuals including the aging paramount chief Flomo Barworlor, Pastor James Paye of the Christ Vision International Church and Dr. Henrique Tokpa.

Boakai’s carrot

To those following the political trend, Boakai’s recent visit to Bong County appeared to be the first phase of other planned visits to the county and a quest to appease the people. It is also a testimony, according to political observers in the county, that the Liberian vice president is not a political neophyte as many thought.

Though one of the individuals who the vice president visited had denied that Boakai’s visit to him had political coloration, the Liberian vice president during his visit to an appreciation program held by former senatorial candidate of Bong and Internal Affair Minister Dr. Henrique Flomo Tokpa fuelled speculations that the die had been cast for a Boakai-Tokpa presidential ticket.

“I thank the people of Bong County for the support you gave Dr. Tokpa during the 2014 senatorial election. I have come to reciprocate the gesture with the hope that things will continue well. We are one. I remain your own.”

Since then, the aura of confidence oozing from citizens of Bong County suggests that the county is on the brink of having a vice president in Tokpa due to his recent proximity with Boakai.

The Bong Chapter of the Movement to Suport Boakai (NAMBO) appears to be putting its house in order in a campaign which it tagged ‘Operation Capture Bong in 2017’, charging citizens of the county to use their votes to displace the “inept opposition” in the 2017 polls.

In the same vein, Bong County Inspector William Kollie had been singing it loud and clear that the Unity Party is battle-ready to claim Bong County in 2017.

Kollie told FrontPage Africa Monday via mobile phone that “By the special grace of God, UP will storm Bong County again. I don’t believe that the opposition has got the grip of the county; they can only have a grip if we in the UP do not have unity among us. If you look at the county which we won narrowly, you would realise that we paid dearly for lack of unity within our party. If you add up all the votes of those that worked against the interest of our party with what we scored, you would realise that we would have won Bong County.”

Kollie said the UP in Bong County is already aligning itself with people-centred candidates who would return the party to winning ways.

 ‘UP’s boast laughable’

In a swift response, the Chairman of the Liberty Party in Bong County has dismissed the boasts by the UP, saying the party cannot reclaim power in any of the districts in Bong County.

He said the Liberty Party was more than prepared than it was before the 2011 elections to face whatever opposition the UP brings along. “We have always been prepared because our works are there for all to see. That is what we are capitalising on. Our works will surely speak for us and we expect that we should be rewarded.”

According to pundits, the forthcoming election will indeed require Vice President Boakai and the UP to pull up their sleeves to achieve the ‘impossible’, as he intends to garner the needed 25 per cent of votes in Bong County. If Boakai eventually emerges as the UP flag-bearer, he would need to evolve a workable arrangement to achieve that feat in the county.

Liberty Party influence grows in Bong

The primary allegation for the quest for change in Bong County has remained that the UP, has been unable to resolve, satisfactorily, the deep feeling of marginalisation amongst the people.

Even the People’s Unification Party, which many of the people saw as their own, had been stalled by continuous internal crises and intrigues, thus leaving the county largely naked, politically.

Given this reality, a majority of Bongese (citizens of Bong County), especially those dissatisfied with the status quo, say they see the LP as the long awaited opportunity for political deliverance.

Besides the people’s dissatisfaction with the status quo and the need for a more viable change, FrontPage Africa investigation shows that the growing influence of LP in the geo- political district of the county is also attributable to the influence and acceptability of most of the politicians that are now leading the party in the county. In most of the districts in Bong County, LP seems to have a lot of political figures, who are comparatively adjudged, by citizens, as both progressives.

This, according to Ma Nawah Gorlormator, a community leader and politician in Sanoyea district, “has helped the party to enjoy instant popularity and acceptability here,” she said.

Salala District

Leading the LP in Salala and other parts of electoral district six today is Silas Tokpa. Tokpa has remained steadfast in the political process of the party in the district. Apart from Tokpa, there are also other political heavyweights in the district, whose association with LP has served as a major boost for the party in the county. One person is Lee Rogers of Salala, who recently decamped to the party in a grand style and with many supporters, put by some report, as numbering over 2,500.

Jorquelleh District

In Jorquelleh district, Mr. Jarpah Tokpa, a renowed entrepreneur in Gbarnga, is the leading force of the party in the district. To concretise his reputation, Tokpa was recently petitioned by citizens of the district to contest, which according to analysts gave a good account of himself as a people’s leader and a firm believer in provision of dividends of democracy.

As various political parties commence preparation for the 2017 legislative elections, finding by FrontPage Africa is that the image has continued to pay off for Tokpa, as many of his admirers, including some still within the Unity Party, are daily signifying interest to join him in the Liberty Party.

With these coordinated moves to ensure victory for APC in Bong County, it remains to be seen how far the new party can go. Considering the way the party has been received so far, it may not be a difficult task to claim the county. It all depends on how the Unity Party and others will respond to the challenge in the county.

Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com