Monrovia – George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change officially became the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) this week, the latest attempt at a merger by members of Liberia’s fragile opposition.

The coming together of the CDC, what’s left of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Speaker Alex Tyler’s Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP) is not only being greeted with mixed reviews but has more than likely has dampened a recent effort by Senator Prince Y. Johnson to bring key opposition figures together.

That meeting held in Ganta, Nimba County brought together Senator Johnson  (organizer of the meeting) of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Liberty Party’s Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party ALP and Alexander Cummings of Alternative National Congress (ANC).

Other parties in attendance 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).

At the onset, the consensus was that there were too many egos in the room to strike a deal as the assembled political figures failed to come to any clear cut conclusion, settling only on a vaguely-worded statement agreeing not to attack or castigate each other.

The Ganta Resolution concluded: “Opposition political parties that are signatories to this declaration hereby make a seldom pledge 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 refer to the joint technical committee for resolution.”

The parties agreed to report back in 60 days as of the signing of the September 17, 2017 declaration. But less than 60 days, that agreement appeared to have fallen apart, with most of the key players from those discussions not likely to run on their own.

Many of the key players who attended the Ganta gathering went in feeling comfortable and confident of running on their own footing.

In this new arrangement, the CDC would most likely field Weah at the top with Senator Jewel Howard Taylor (NPP-Bong), who described the coalition as “the dawn of a new day”, is likely to be in the running for a number two spot along with Liberia Destiny Party (LDP) leader Nathaniel Barnes and embattled Speaker Alex Tyler sitting in the wings for a possible number two.

The new bloc satisfies Weah and the CDC’s long-held view that its political leader must head any ticket. The party’s Chairman Nathaniel McGill said on several occasions that it would not go second to another party.

Despite the assertions, developments in the past few months pointed toward a change of tune as Weah held separate discussions with other members of the opposition including Liberty Party’s Brumskine and Alternative National Congress’ Cummings.

It is unclear why those talks did not materialize but it was clear then that a feeling of distrust was in the air amid loose innuendos and carefully crafted insinuations among the major political party heads— Urey of the ALP taking on Brumskine and Brumskine himself taking aim at Urey.

Weah, in a pointed jab at Senator Johnson, who abandoned the opposition in the second round of the 2011 Presidential race, remarked:

“We all say the same thing but in different tones. We have been in this for more than 10 years, speaking of the ills in society and the reason why it continues is because we refused to come together [due to] our self-ego and personal aggrandizement.”

“If we have the interest of the Liberian people why are we all running? I believe in team work and I think with a better team one idea and one vision we can liberate our people.”

CDC, NPP and LPDP merge

Speaking Wednesday at the signing of the merger at the CDC’s headquarters on Tubman Boulevard, Weah similarly said the CDC was opting for to unify the opposition bloc.

“We all have to embrace a national unity in the interest of our people,” he told the signing gathering.

“The Congress for Democratic Change, the leading opposition political party, has always maintained that an effective collaboration with other political parties is necessary for a successfully victory come 2017,” he said.

“Our core intent is to unite all Liberians and build a country that caters to this entire country, while we gather here today to witness the birth of a true, sincerer and genuine alliance between three political institutions, the CDC, NPP, and LPDP.”

Former Speaker Alex Tyler said the merger played directly in the vision of the LPDP.

“We believe Liberia is the only country we have and its development must be our highest priority. We have survived as people for over 168 years, mortgaging vital aspect or our nation’s resources to others. 

“We believe the time has come to depart the direction and forge for the fulfilment of the dreams of our people to make maximum use of our nation natural and mineral wealth for the benefit of all Liberians to be an enviable international case study,” Tyler added.

John Gray, an executive of the NPP, a represented Senator Taylor at the signing ceremony, stressed the need for the three parties in the merger to remain focussed going forward.

“There will be lots of opposing forces trying to pull us aside we must be cohesive and move forward with determination. The burden is on us this is ours to lose and we are not going to lose,” Gray said. 

Sable Mining Stain

It might be too early to take on each other; however, the new bloc is also likely to face questions in the wake of the on-going Sable Mining scandal involving Tyler.

Global Witness reported in May that then Speaker Tyler had received bribe intended to change Liberia’s concession law for AIM-listed Company to have a mining concession for Wologisi Mountain in Lofa County.

Dr. Linda Thomas Greenfield, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa during a visit here in May said while she had not read the report, Global Witness, which authored the findings, was highly regarded internationally. 

Many were left to wonder how serious a role, if any in the first place, Tyler, who was ousted from his Speaker’s post, would have on the new coalition. 

Some observers have said if the Sable Mining case played the biggest role in the ousting of Tyler as Speaker, it would certainly spell doom for his relationship with any political party, including the CDC.

Ghost of the Civil War

The legacy of the NPP—the political metamorphosis of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL)—is also going to play a role in the CDC-NPP-LPDL merger, observers say.

“As for me, I still see the NPP as [former President] Charles Taylor’s party,” Siafa Paul, resident of the ELWA community, told FrontPage Africa.

“These people killed our people and they still want to come to power? We will not allow for that to happen.”

 NPP also supported the CDC in the 2011 elections that were eventually won by incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

NPP came directly from the NPFL, a fashion former President Taylor led that is blamed for a vast majority of more than 300,000 people who were killed.

It has been 13 years since the civil war ended in Liberia, followed by Taylor’s incarceration in Great Britain for his contribution in the Sierra Leonean civil war.

However, with a war crimes court yet to be set up in Liberia, the scars of the war are still vivid. Not only that broken down infrastructures remain, but also that lives impacted loom in misery and abject poverty.

“Most of these zogos (street criminals) we are talking about are ex-combatants, who were conscripted as child-soldiers during the war,” remarked Sarah Johnson, a resident of Breweverville outside Monrovia.

“They are really victims of circumstances.”

Monrovia – Ahead of the 2017 Presidential elections, political parties are making frantic efforts to form collaboration in an effort to unseat the ruling Unity party.

The National Patriotic Party at a recent meeting in Bomi County endorsed collaboration with the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and days later another political party has endorsed through a resolution to form collaboration with the CDC and other political parties.

The National Executive Committee of the Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP) through a resolution adopted October 31 has in its extra-ordinary session endorsed that the party collaborates with opposition political parties of like minds for the 2017 general and Presidential elections.

“The National Executive Committee of the Liberia people Democratic Party (LPDP) met in an extra-ordinary session to review political trends in the country and formulate strategies that would deliver to the people of Liberia the much needed change they crave for”, the resolution of the LPDP stated.

The resolution continued “In consideration thereof, the Executive Committee has resolved to collaborate with political parties of like minds in an effort to consolidate the opposition and accelerate its chances at the electoral polls come 2017”.

The party through the resolution has mandated its political leader to enter into collaboration with the CDC, NPP, ALP and other political parties

“Now therefore, the National Executive Committee mandates that the LPDP Political Leader enters into collaboration with and/or sign the articles of collaboration with the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), National Patriotic Party (NPP) and encourage the All Liberian Party (ALP) and other opposition political parties to join the coalition,” the resolution added.

Tyler elected political leader

The LPDP has also elected former Speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Alex Tyler as the political leader of the party.

“In a letter signed by its National Chairman Rep. Moses Y. Kollie, the National Executive Committee of the LPDP has unanimously elected Honorable J. Alex Tyler as the political leader of the Liberia People Democratic Party”, the communication from the Chairman of the Party stated.

The political leader has been mandated by the resolution to negotiate and conclude collaboration of opposition political parties.

“Accordingly, the Political leader is mandated to initiate, negotiate and conclude collaboration arrangements with the above named parties”, the LPDP resolution noted.

The LPDP is one of the newest political parties that is expected to make its debut in the political landscape of the country in 2017.

Political observers are suggesting that no one political party can win the pending election, pushing the need for collaboration between opposition political parties.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf disclosed in an interview a while ago that no one political party can win the election.

Former Speaker Tyler was a member of the ruling Unity Party before resigning and accordingly helping in the formation of the LPDP.

He joined the LPDP sometimes ago which has now been followed by his election as political leader of the party.