Monrovia – Former Liberian Ambassador to the United Nations Dr. Nathaniel Barnes might be the Vice Chairman of the Governing Council of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC); however, there is still a high possibility that he emerges the standard bearer of the recently crafted coalition.

“One of the things that we need to do in the political dispensation in Liberia is to step out of the denial and be as realistic as we can” – Nathaniel Barnes

Last week, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) formed a coalition with the National Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP) called the Congress for Democratic Change or the National Coalition (coincidentally CDC).

Senator George Weah’s CDC, the three parties agreed, reserves the sole right to nominate the standard bearer of the Coalition. Senator Weah is currently the Chair of the Governing Council. 

But speaking in an interview with FrontPage Africa Tuesday, Ambassador Barnes did not rule out the possibility of becoming that standard bearer of the Coalition to be determined by unilaterally by Weah’s CDC.

“It (agreement) does not say that the Congress for Democratic Change automatically has the standard bearer [slot]. It says it reserves the right to nominate a standard bearer,” Ambassador Barnes said.

“The issue about the nomination doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and the thing that I find interesting about this Coalition is that there is a lot of interaction, a lot of discussion and a lot of negotiations. I don’t think that none of those decisions will be made in a vacuum,” he said.  

Ambassador Barnes unsuccessfully vied for the presidency in the 2005 elections on the ticket of the Liberia Destiny Party. In 2005 he joined the NPP in whose government he served as Minister of Finance.  

“Someone would say ‘Barnes, you want to be president, why did you have to concede something like this?’ It is because I know that everything is open to negotiation,” he told FrontPage Africa.

“My own take on this is that my own personal ambition has to be transcended by what’s best for Liberia. The leadership of Liberia is more important than the presidency of Liberia.” 

‘Step out of denial’

Ambassador Barnes disagree with critics and pundits who say that the other two parties in the Coalition mortgaged their political right to Senator Weah’s CDC, adding that both the NPP and the LPDP were approaching the merger with open minds.

“One of the things that we need to do in the political dispensation in Liberia is to step out of the denial and be as realistic as we can,” he said.

“The Congress for Democratic Change is a very strong political brand.

He said Senator Weah’s CDC had a lot of following, especially in the vote-rich Montserrado County and its suburbs, something he said had to play in the formation of the coalition.

“There is this old adage in Liberia that says all of our fingers are not equal, and we need to approach our solutions keeping these things in mind,” he continued, forming an allusion with the United Nations Security Council. 

“Why are those five permanent members and why do they have special privileges as veto and other things?” The former Liberian envoy to the UN asked rhetorically.

“It is because they are strong; they have the strongest brands.”

‘More cohesive’ Coalition

Since its formation, the Coalition for Democratic Change has come in for tense criticism for breaking a merger of more than a dozen political parties, including the very Congress for Democratic Change of Senator Weah.

Weah’s CDC and the other parties in the merger talks—the Alternative National Congress, the Liberty Party and the All Liberian Party, to name just a few—signed a pact, the Ganta Declaration.

Though necessitated by the generally agreed principle that only a merger would do in 2017, the Ganta Declaration, however, began falling apart seemingly as the parties’ leaders began returning to Monrovia. Less than two days there trading of allegations and raining of insults.

However, Ambassador Barnes does not see it that the Coalition is torpedoing the highly tagged Ganta Declaration.

He sees it at an attempt to patch loopholes and mend broken pieces within the opposition that could prove essential for the ruling Unity Party. .

“There were certain things that were rather loose.”

“If you read the protocol of the National Coalition, it is a lot more cohesive; it is a lot more focused and is based on developing a winning strategy.”

“So, we look at the National Coalition as a continuation of the Ganta Declaration but more solid, without undermining it.

“We don’t have much time. We have a very narrow window.”

“The Ganta Declaration was a tide too slow in moving towards some sort of rapid organized institution that will be able to…remove the ruling Unity Party.

Report by Lennart Dodoo|777 788 805/886 334065|dodoolennart@gmail.com

Global Witness, an internationally renowned and reputable “Watchdog” organization recently released a comprehensive investigative report entitled “The Deceivers” which can, at best, be described as a provocative and damning account of corruption within the rank and file of our government.

The findings and allegations of this investigative report have pushed my trust of the Unity Party-led government to an unprecedented low.  I am appalled by our President’s response to this turn of events.  Setting up yet another investigative committee does not allay my deep concerns over where we, as a nation, are going.

The Global Witness report reveals and alleges in great detail, not only how our government continues to recklessly mortgage the future of Liberia by breaking and circumventing its laws and values to personally enrich themselves, but how those we entrust with power continue to do so with impunity and reckless abandon.

Key findings and allegations of the report include:

Significant payments of nearly one million United States Dollars in bribes to high level government officials in the Executive and Legislative branches of the Government of Liberia in order to change the laws circumvent government policies and regulations to the benefit of a single investor. These acts were done at the incalculable expense of the Liberian people and further aggravates the severe state of poverty in Liberia.

Direct interference in Liberia’s political process thus potentially impacting election outcomes.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s response to this debacle  has been disappointing (yet predictable) as it follows the time worn tradition of establishing yet another Investigative “Task Force” to look into the matter and submit its findings; upon which, those found culpable “will be dealt with to the extent of the law.”

My primary concerns about the President’s proposal are:

The proposal means that the Executive branch of the government is being tasked to investigate itself. Obviously, in this instance, one must be concerned about the loss of objectivity, fairness and equity.

Historically, Liberia has a poor track record of bringing the activities (processes, findings, implementation of the conclusions and recommendations, etc.) of these Special Task Force to reasonable, implementable and justifiable closure.

We should seriously question the moral capacity of the Minister of State Without Portfolio, Counselor Jonathan Fonati Koffa, who President Sirleaf has appointed, to lead and spearhead the proposed task force through a fair, objective and transparent process and conclusion.

According to court records in the United States of America, Counselor Koffa is a convicted felon who has been disbarred by the North Carolina State Bar Association for fraud, dishonesty and unethical practices unbecoming of the legal profession. This fact should immediately preclude the Minister’s participation in any capacity regarding this matter.

This affair is of such magnitude, that we, the people of Liberia, cannot afford to take it lightly; thus, it is our collective responsibility and right to demand that our government pursue options and choices that would reveal the hard facts which would lead to appropriate measures that would entail justice, equity and fairness.

In this light, I am strongly recommending the following:

The Liberian Legislature establishes a Citizens Action Committee comprised of eminent members and leaders from Civil Society, Religious Institutions, Professional Organizations (the Liberian Bar Association, the Liberian Business Association, etc.), Trade Unions and other associations and Community Leaders, cloaked with all of the appropriate legal and institutional authority to investigate this matter.

A key part of the Terms of Reference of the Committee would be to seek out, vet and contract a globally renowned auditing firm which will be tasked with conducting a thorough forensic audit which would clearly and undisputedly establish the factual events and personalities involved.

The Citizens Action Committee, upon receipt of the findings of the auditor, would carefully evaluate the results and findings and develop a comprehensive report which would include recommendations and appropriate actions to be taken. The report would be presented to all three branches of government and made public to the people of Liberia.

The government should solicit financial assistance from its multilateral, bilateral and Global NGO Partners to underwrite the costs of this initiative. This would alleviate the potential of “dragging” the committee’s work due the absence of funding. This action will also ensure a certain amount of transparency in the work of the committee.

I am convinced that implementation of this proposal, or some other version of an independent, objective investigation would be an effective first step towards outcomes such as justice and fairness.  We must not fail to establish a path upon which ALL Liberians can walk in the confidence that our government is in fact a government … “For the People; of the People and by the People!”