Monrovia – The just ended Unity Party convention that brought Information Minister Eugene Lenn Nagbe as Secretary General, Labour Minister Neto Lighe as Deputy National Vice Chairman and GSA Deputy Director for Administration Cole Bangole Vice Chairman for inter party and NEC Affairs opened up a debate on the Code of Conduct.

Report by Al-Varney Rogers alvarney.rogersfrontpageonline.com

Since the end of the convention, debate on its effect on code of conduct has been the talk of the town including on radio talk shows, and in street corners as well as to the door steps of civil society groupings.

The Elections Coordinating Committee, (ECC) Chairman Oscar Bloh, who was at the convention, said Unity Party’s action was observed to have breached the Code of Conduct .

“The Elections Coordinating Committee, (ECC) has observed with grave concern a breach in certain provisions of the National Code of conduct intended for all public officials and employees of the government of Liberia during the just ended Unity Party’s National Convention held in Gbarnga, from July 7-9 2016,” Bloh added.

Bloh Continues: “Section 5.1 of the Code of Conduct that focuses on political participation states: “All officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia shall not: “Engage in political activities, canvass or contest for elected offices; use government facilities, equipment or resources in support of partisan or political activities;”

Bloh added, the election of several appointed government officials to key leadership positions within U.P. was a form of engaging in political activities.

“That the participation and election of several appointed government officials to key leadership positions within the Unity Party is a direct form of engaging in political activities in breach of section 5.1(a) as stated above,” ECC Chairman said.

Those elected at the convention have meanwhile, called on those who feel injured by their decision to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Bloh argues that Unity Party shouldn’t have used Gbarnga administrative building for their convention.

“That the holding of the convention at the administrative building which is a government facility was a violation,” Bloh added.

ECC Chairman added that violation wasn’t limited to the use of public building adding that government vehicles were also misused.

“The use of government vehicles which encompasses equipment and resources also contravenes section 5.1B of the Code of Conduct cited above,” Bloh added.

Bloh continues: “Several government vehicles with the identification inscriptions such as GSA-MFDP-04-16 LB 1665 and GSA- MFDP-05-5 were observed parked for hours within the vicinity where the Convention was taking place.”

 He also said those elected in key leadership were predominantly male adding the election wasn’t gender sensitive.

“Apart from these contraventions of the Code of Conduct, the ECC also observed that those elected to serve in key leadership positions within the party are overwhelmingly men which was not gender sensitive in keeping with the amended Elections law of 1986 section 4.5 1(b),”

“which states that “ A political party of coalition in its submission to the Commission of its list of candidates for an election shall endeavor to ensure that the governing body and its list of candidates has no less than 30% of its members from each gender,” Bloh added.

According to Bloh the ECC commend the Unity Party for a peaceful conduct of its convention.

The ECC Chairman calls on President Sirleaf to establish the office of the ombudsman.

“At the same time, in keeping with section 12.1 of the code of Conduct, the ECC is calling on the President to establish the office of the Ombudsman responsible for the enforcement, oversight, monitoring and evaluation of the adherence to the Code of Conduct.”

The ECC calls on all political parties to adhere to the provisions contained in the Code of Code regulating the conduct of political parties.

Monrovia –  A member of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change says the action by several government officials to actively participate in political activities at the just concluded convention of the ruling Unity Party, ignoring provisions of the Code of Conduct signed by the President is a recipe for chaos come 2017.

Report by Henry Karmo – henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Mulbah Morlu, Vice Chairman for Operations in the opposition congress for democratic change in a telephone interview with FrontPageAfrica said the action by some officials to act above the law of Liberia is a recipe for chaos.

He believes that the decision by the ruling Unity party to do what he termed as undermining the rule of law could spread to other political institutions.

He blamed the violation on what he called lack of political will on the part of President Sirleaf to ensure that the constitution of Liberia is adhered to; saying the very officials of government are the lawbreakers.

Morlu said: “This is bad precedent, and I believe that the rule of law is being butchered. This government is on the wrong pattern and the laws of Liberia are under threat from this government”.

He continued “What if the CDC was to choose which law to obey and disobey than we are heading for trouble. Why if the CDC says tomorrow we are going to respect certain guidelines from the National Elections Commission and disobey the others. This is our country, we are all equal under the law.”

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the political leader of the ruling party who signed the Code of Conduct into law   attended the Unity Party convention and presided over its violation by officials, she appointed to several positions in government.

Besides Information Minister Eugene Nagbe and Labor Minister Neto Lighe, many officials of government appointed by the President took part in the convention including Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Julia D. Cassel and several others.

Party V of the code of conduct prohibits all officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia from engaging in political activities, canvassing or contesting for elected offices. It also prohibits the usage of Government facilities, equipment or resources in support of partisan or political activities.

Section 5.10 of the code of conduct speaks about avoidance of conflict-politics and work.

The same section speaks of immediate removal from office as a punishment for any public official, who after due process   is found guilty of violating any provision of this section.

Section 5.2 (A) of the Code of Conduct states “any Minister, Deputy Minister, Director General, Managing Director and Superintendent appointed by the President pursuant to article 56(a) of the Constitution and a Managing Director appointed by a board of directors, who desires to contest for Public office elective office shall resign said, post at least two (2) years prior to the date of such public elections”.

In disregard for the above provisions of the Code of Conduct, several Presidential appointees including Information Minister Nagbe, Labor Minister Lighe contested and won positions within the Unity Party.

Minister Nagbe won the position of Secretary General which now puts him in the position as official spokesperson of government and the ruling party.

Under Liberia’s system governance structure, the Executive Branch of Government, headed by the President is responsible to enforce the law and with the Presiding in attended during the ruling party convention, enforcing the Code of Conduct looks impossible.

Some believe that the violation of the law by the Unity Party, which is pushing for third successive term in power, is a sign that another term will be no different from what Liberians have experienced over the last ten years.

Gbarnga, Bong County – Less than two weeks after the United Nations Mission in Liberia, UNMIL turned over security to Liberian security forces, a scarring incident occurred at the ruling Unity Party Convention in Gbarnga, Bong County where President Ellen Johnson was present with dispute between Presidential elite guards from the Executive Protection Service (EPS) resulting to discharge of firearm creating fear for many.

Report by: Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com

Unity Party’s Partisans attending their annual convention in Gbarnga, Bong County were said to have fled helter scatter as early as about 1: 00 am on Saturday morning after an officer of the Executive Protection Service (EPS) fired on of his colleagues in the leg during a heated argument outside the convention hall.

The partisans who were outside the hall of the convention awaiting the results of the party wildly ran in the hall, while other partisans sought safety into nearby vehicles that were in close proximity to the scene of the dispute.

The situation was said to have claimed the attention of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and Vice President Joseph Boakai, who were in the hall during the melee between the EPS officers, as their respective security guards rushed outside the hall to calm the situation.

The officer, whose identity has not been established by FrontPageAfrica, was said to have been drunk when our reporter arrived on the scene moments after the shooting.

It took over 10 EPS officers for over 30 minutes to disarm the officer, a situation that brought the ballot counting process to a standstill. The EPS officer was apprehended before been taken to the headquarters of the Gbarnga Central Police, while his injured colleague was rushed to the Phebe hospital for medication.

Efforts exerted by FrontPageAfrica in taking the photo of the EPS officer at the headquarters of the Police station during inquiry proved futile.

Girlfriend feud sparked shooting

An EPS officer, who spoke to FrontPageAfrica on condition of abnormity, said his two colleagues unknowingly befriended a girl whom they had met at a local entertainment center close to the venue of the convention on different occasions the same day.

“The two guys on different occasions went to Paulma, the club at the junction of the Administration building and met the girl and offered her, and both of them unknowingly planned to sleep with her but one of them chose the other guy over his friend thus resulting into the conflict”, an EPS source told FrontPageAfrica.

Another EPS source said the two EPS officers had earlier attempted to fight at Paulma but were separated by Police officers who had also gone to the club to eat.

Police coy on the matter

Police officers who were on the scene of the dispute refused to speak to FrontPageAfrica for fear of being sacked. ‘I am sorry; I can’t speak on this matter my brother. This situation is beyond our functions as Police officers.

This is a security matter and the right people involved will handle it at their level. Anything we say here will go against us,” a Police officer at the Gbarnga Central Police told our reporter.

Partisans slam EPS officers

Some partisans who spoke to FrontPageAfrica said the act was troubling and signaled yet another moment to highlight the inexperience of Liberian security apparatus especially in the wake of the handing over of security to Liberia by the United Nations Mission in Liberia.

According to Obediah Weahweah, a partisan from Zota district, the shooting of the EPS officer by his colleague over argument involving loved one has further exposed the fragility of the security and sends a caveat to Liberians about the inexperience of the security forces.

It is frustrating for EPS officer to engage in a fistfight outside of the convention hall when all of the party executives are in attendance,” he added.

Marcus Teleweyoun, another partisan from Lofa County is calling on the Director of the EPS to take the necessary action to avoid the recurrence of the incidence. In his words, he said: “I hope the EPS will take the necessary action to avoid another occurrence as this action has the tendency to cause stirs among citizens as it has done to us here tonight,” he said.

It can be recalled that some officers of the EPS and Police Director Chris Massaquoi were involved in a melee in Monrovia which led to the destruction of Police boss official vehicle.

The incident took place when Police Director was prevented to coming close to the Presidents’ car but the scuffle claim public attention after the EPS and Police offers publicly tussle over weapons.

Gbarnga, Bong County – It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that strains were amiss at the ruling Unity Party (UP) National Convention here last weekend.

Report by: Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

But behind the votes cast, the body languages and the white ballots ushering in Joseph Boakai as the new leader of the party, it was clear that the outgoing chairman Cllr. Varney Sherman and the outgoing standard bearing were not on the same page.

“Fellow partisans, the Unity Party, like any human institution cannot be divorced of the politics of disagreements in order to finally agree for the greater good.  We call this creative tension that does not degenerate into acrimony or bitter exchanges”  – President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, outgoing Standard Bearer, Unity Party

Cllr. Sherman used every opportunity at the podium addressing delegates to express his outrage and disappointment, telling delegates Friday to avoid the experiences of the 2010 platform.

On the eve of that convention, officers of the Liberia Action Party, the Liberia Unification Party and the ruling Unity Party signed articles of merger on April 1, 2009, bringing together three parties whose founding fathers were at the foundation of multi-party democracy in Liberia.

The UP, LAP, and LUP were at the heart of the political process in 1984 and formed the country’s first ever political merger. The parties’ founding fathers, the late Dr. Edward Kesselly of the Unity Party, the late Gabriel William Kpolleh of the Liberia Unification Party and the late Jackson F. Doe of the Liberia Action Party, formed the famous ‘Grand Coalition’ which contested the 1985 Presidential elections against the then ruling National Democratic Party of Liberia of former President Samuel Doe.

Cllr. Sherman, who is among several current and former Liberian government officials named in a recently-released damning Global Witness exposé  uncovering more than US$950,000 in bribes and other suspicious payments by UK mining firm Sable Mining, has on more than one occasions accused President Sirleaf of breaching the agreements of the 2009 merger.

Said Cllr. Sherman: “I say this because our experience from 2010 is that we had a platform then at the end of the day, there was deviations because, I believe the government was not involved at the level that it should have been when the platform was adapted.

To ensure that we do not have similar problem, I would suggest that we receive the committee’s report on conditions that our standard bearer when elected, will meet the committee and come up with his or her own ideas incorporate them in the report, so that we have one platform for both the party and our executive,” says Chairman Sherman.”

But President Sirleaf, addressing the delegates Friday did not hold back in replying Sherman’s rants as she made a plea for unity, telling delegates: “The Unity Party, like any human institution cannot be divorced of the politics of disagreements in order to finally agree for the greater good.  We call this creative tension that does not degenerate into acrimony or bitter exchanges.” 

Sirleaf however explained that it must be clear that collective commitment is key to putting the interest of the Party above all other considerations. “If in our actions or inactions – we took certain decisions that might have affected some of our partisans in our line of national duty – we say for the greater good – let us recommit to work together and unite in a strong and unwavering support to Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.”

While it is no secret that Sherman supports Sirleaf backing of her vice President Boakai as her successor, Sherman has persistently insisted that the 2010 merger agreement was not followed to the latter.

President Sirleaf sounded the caveat that in the midst of the odds, the party has to work harder in 2017 describing the battle ahead as tumultuous.

“The battle for 2017 likely to be tumultuous! We cannot fold our hands, let alone take anything for granted. We must reach across the political aisles to break new grounds, cover more territory, forge new alliances, make new acquaintances, re-calibrate previous strategies and align and amalgamate our forces if victory must be ours”, said Sirleaf.

 Rallying for Boakai

While Sirleaf and Sherman both expressed their disagreements, one thing that is common is the support for Boakai with Sherman expressing his willingness to campaign for the election of Boakai through Liberia and President also rallying similar support for her Vice President.

“Let us collectively stand behind our chosen leader Joe Boakai to take us beyond where our gains thus far have brought us amid this turbulent milestone.  Let us work to ensure that the Party becomes the bridge of continuity, sustainability, progress and development for our country and its people”, said Sirleaf.

Even months to the convention, Sherman declared support for the Presidency of Boakai and on this point the pair (Sirleaf and Sherman) will have some common ground.

But it seems the peaceful manner in which the UP convention ended as it appears in the eyes of the public looks to be far from actual reality within the party.

Some partisans separately spoke of high-level manipulations of the process in favour of some individuals which they say reduced the possibility of competitive process. Insides party sources hinted that both Sirleaf and Sherman used the convention to tighten their grip on the leadership structure of the party with Sherman opting for Wilmot Paye to win the chairmanship and President Sirleaf pushing for Information Minister Nagbe to become the Secretary general of the party.

Suspicions persist in hierarchy

While the convention is gone, the level of scepticism over a rift in the party still lingers with Sherman cautious of what some say robbed him of becoming the Vice running mate to President Sirleaf ahead of the 2011 election.

During the merger of the three parties, some say it was agreed that Unity Party would have provided the standard bearer while the vice running mate should come from either one of the other two but in the end the Unity party produced both standard bearer and vice standard bearer.

Sherman pointed in that direction in Gbarnga when he stated that the new Party Standard bearer, Boakai will need to work with people who will not be suspicious of him.

“Boakai needs a leadership that will work with him to ensure that he becomes successful and not one that will be suspicious of his presence.”  Sherman added: “He needs a leadership that he can trust and those that will also trust him”.

New Party Chairman Paye and Secretary General Nagbe were once at odds with Paye calling for Nagbe to step-down while serving as Minister of Youth and Sports when it was reported that Nagbe and George Weah were part of the negotiations in what later became a scandal in the Federation of world Football Fifa World Cup, Qatar 2011 scandal.

Nage, Weah and ex-Liberia Football Association President Izetta Wesley were mentioned in leaked secret documents published in the London’s Sunday Times Newspaper and following the publications Paye quickly called for Nagbe to resign saying the Minister had tainted record and was no longer fit to serve the Sirleaf government that expressed its desire to fight corruption.

In response, Nagbe described Paye as a Secretary General with ‘no force’, saying Paye could not even help the Unity Party to win his native Nimba County during the 2011 election.

On the other hand, when Sherman was indicted for his alleged role in the Global Witness saga, Paye defended Sherman and was amongst several partisans who gathered at the residence of Sherman daily to show solidarity.

Also following the 2011 election, Paye who served as Secretary General of the Party during the campaign period was appointed Deputy minister of Commerce while Nagbe, a newcomer in the party who defected from the Congress for democratic Change few months to the 2011 electoral process was appointed Minister. Paye refused the Deputy Minister job and was no longer given another position while Nagbe has is now serving his third position as Minister under the Sirleaf regime.

With the water apparently under the bridge, it remains to be seen whether Paye and Nagbe, now holding two key positions in the Unity Party will work together cordially amid lingering and nagging concerns of uncertainty and inner fights ahead of the ruling party with 2017 election fast approaching.

The Sherman-Sirleaf relationship is likely to come to play in the new Unity Party leadership with Paye lining on the side of Sherman and Nagbe in line with President Sirleaf.

In the middle is the candidacy of Boakai who now faces a formidable task of reinventing and redefining Unity within the rank and file of the ruling party as it looks to cement its hold on power with an eye on a third term.

How far the internal wrangling within the Unity party lingers will be the first major test for Boakai’s political and leadership credentials. But even as many fear that the rift within the party is far from over, keeping the crisis from reaching boiling point could perhaps force the new leadership and Boakai to following the guide of the departing standard bearer who will also be hoping that her call for unity is not a little too late for a party in the midst of a third term quest.

Gbarnga Bong County – Gbarnga City was a place to be for the Unity Party, (UP) as thousands of partisans gathered for the convention and the turning over of the UP present leadership to the incoming standard bearer and elections for new officials of the party.

Report by: Mae Azango maeazango@frontpageafricaonline.com

Serving as presiding chairman of the convention, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said, it was time they ensure that the convention was inclusive, participatory and democratic, saying it is the only way to move Unity party forward.

Outgoing party Chairman, Cllr. Varney Sharman, during the convention said while the party is on its way to elections, it should receive committee’s report with the condition that no member is elected as standard bearer of the party.

He said they need to re-intervene for the work of the committee to come up with a comprehensive platform for election in 2017.

“I say this because our experience from 2010 is that we had a platform then at the end of the day, there was deviations because, I believe the government was not involved at the level that it should have been when the platform was adopted.

To ensure that we do not have similar problem, I would suggest that we receive the committee’s report on conditions that our standard bearer when elected, will meet the committee and come up with his or her own ideas incorporate them in the report, so that we have one platform for both the party and our executive,” said Chairman Sherman.

According to the Unity Party’s report, it has achieved in the past eleven years and indisputable and enviable platform that centered around ten key areas:  job creation and increase employment, building an economy that is inclusive, cultivating Agriculture and food security, improving infrastructures to enhance the quality of lives, consolidating peace and security, enhancing national reconciliation and healing, intensifying the fight against corruption, inventing in the Liberian people, Disability and strengthening a political environmental. And the overall aim of building a viable society where everyone can live in peace. 

During the convention, many partisans raised comments to be addressed by the committee.  Cllr. Gloria M. Scott, National outgoing member of the National executive officer of the UP said “I like the outline on the platform let it go forward to be clear on the party’s position on the place of women in governance”.

Lawrence Flomo, District five Youth coordinator, said he did not hear anything mentioned in the committee’s report concerning youth, and suggested that youth be included.

Remarks: Standard Bearer Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at Unity Party (UP) National Convention Gbarnga, Bong County, July 7, 2016

We are present here today, looking forward to tomorrow’s event that will go down in annals of history as we witness the passing of the torch. The history and formation of Unity party is rich.  Old Unity and New Unity have all combined to give us a good history, a history of hills and valleys, failures and successes, sorrows and joys.

Where we were yesterday, when Gabriel Kpolleh formed the Liberia Unification Party (UP); Jackson Doe, the Liberia Action Party (LAP) and Jabaru Carlon, Joseph Koffa and Edward B Kesselly, the Unity Party (UP). It was over three decades ago and it seems like just yester years. 

In 1997, as the first post war elections were held to herald peace,  Unity Party and Liberia Unification Party combined effort along with other-broadminded nationalists who to came together to make us runners up in the elections of 1997. 

Fellow partisans, we came close to the finish lines inspite of the odds of war because of courage and conviction of our leaders and the people who were united behind a cause. We did not have much money but what we boasted of then and now was the commitment to see democracy at the ballot box. We were friends and believed and trusted each other.

Today many of those leaders are here while some have taken the great leap into eternity and have joined the saints in heaven who continue to watch over Liberia in its stride to embrace democracy and bring peace to its people.

The elections of 1997, some scholars might say represented a false ray of hope amidst the social frustration in the period of interregnum between war and peace.  But platform of courage, that audacity of hope, (to use President Obama’s phrase) ushered in the famous and remarkable historic moment that will be detailed in history long after today.  One thing is certain that place in history in the 2005 elections belongs to Unity Party as we broke the glass ceiling and ushered in Liberia’s and Africa’s first elected woman President.

This journey, if I were to ask Nelson Mandela, he would say it’s a long walk to freedom for Unity Party it was the democratic freedom we needed to search for peace and work to rebuild our country.  The 2005 elections gave hope to the Liberian people and brought out women, first time voters, the young and the old. We changed despair into hope.

The first term of our government was not without its challenges.  If we look back at where we came from, a shattered economy, broken and severely devastated infrastructure, bad roads low and unpaid salaries for government employees, very low wages for the few in the private sector; dysfunctional school systems at various levels, lack of basic services and on and on from where we were in 2005, we could go down the rough edges of memories.   Precisely because we as a Party a people and a government have all worked to change it. 

Today, it is easy to forget that sad past, but we know as a party and a people we have persevered and we have overcome.  We restored Liberia’s credit worthiness and reputation today and we can be very proud once again to be called Liberians. At the international level, we transfigured a pariah nation into a place that the young could see a future in which the pen and the voice replaced the guns.

We are of the firm conviction that it was the rugged path which we chiseled smoothly that saw us through from the first term to our reelection in the second term.  In doing so, we witness the coming together of all those whose path the rivers of history joined at various tributaries.  The confluence took place in Ganta in 2010 when the three legs of our political future were once again firmly united into what is today the new unity party.  

The proud red roaster of LAP, the firmly clasped hand shake of LUP merged into the earth green white and brown colors of peoples of various persuasion blended together to lift up Liberia.  We dared to thread on that path of our very challenging past into a future we did not fully anticipate yet we walked proudly together as the unity party.

At all levels party, government and people to people we have been challenged.  It has been rough.  We have persevered through tough time and we have overcome.  There were times when it seemed like hell was breaking loose and the gutter could not hold, but the great African America poet of sainted Memory would say. And still we rise.

We won our second term.  We have come out stronger. Thus over the last decade or nearly a dozen straight years we can proudly say with God above, we have done much in a short time, given from where we came. It is always with a brush of history and philosophy that we are reminded that those who are not guided by their history, do not know their past will see no path to the future for they only live for today.

I urge us all to be proud of our collective efforts and the commonality of our achievements. We can enumerate them by one and erect them as building blocks to claim the future around and secure the victory we must work to achieve.

We have expanded the democratic space, we have worked with all Liberians we have been able to show tolerance as a very rare gem to be maintained and kept in the public glare.  Peace, freedom, integrity democratic values are intangibles we hold not and can and must carry on.

We have a government that shows respect for the rule of law, and over the years the judiciary and the entire justice system is active and everywhere to give confidence to the people. We need to look at our track record, look at our ability to mobilize and organize to look at our history of working with a broad spectrum of people.

Go tell it to the mountains, over hills and everywhere that we have a record as a nation and a people that unity party put it together, brought so many other people from other parties to make it happen. This record is a record you can be proud of, you can work on with so many others to bring so many people together and around it to win elections and once again win and warm the hearts and minds of the Liberian people yet again around the symbols and ideals of Unity.

As we embark on yet another historic journey in our democratic development process, let me thank all hands for being on deck since our long walk started in 2003 following the forces that united in the 1997.

We are reminded that the “Ellen-Joe Team” resolved to be responsive and responsible, determined in collective commitment to an all-encompassing aspiration for the betterment of our country and people. We resolved that with Joe Boakai as our running-mate – victory was indeed assured as manifested in 2005 and 2011 respectively.

I wish to pay homage to you, Mr. Vice President, for loyalty and unqualified support throughout this herculean journey to contribute to the growth and development of Party and our nation. It is a result of that loyalty that we have pledged our support to your candidacy to lead our party in the 2017 polls.

Fellow partisans, the Unity Party, like any human institution cannot be divorced of the politics of disagreements in order to finally agree for the greater good.  We call this creative tension that does not degenerate into acrimony or bitter exchanges.

But what must always remain clear is our collective commitment to put the interest of the Party above all other considerations. If in our actions or inactions – we took certain decisions that might have affected some of our partisans in our line of national duty – we say for the greater good – let us recommit to work together and unite in a strong and unwavering support to Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

The battle for 2017 likely to be tumultuous! We cannot fold our hands, let alone take anything for granted. We must reach across the political aisles to break new grounds, cover more territory, forge new alliances, make new acquaintances, re-calibrate previous strategies and align and amalgamate our forces if victory must be ours.

Let us collectively stand behind our chosen leader Joe Boakai to take us beyond where our gains thus far have brought us amid this turbulent milestone.  Let us work to ensure that the Party becomes the bridge of continuity, sustainability, progress and development for our country and its people.

Let us be proud of the achievements of our Party and Nation.  Let us boast of the progress for that will be the vehicle to take us to victory in 2017.

May God continue to give us the strength and courage to put Liberia first.

Thank you.

LIBERIA HAS had some not so proud political historical moments that have become enshrined in the record books and placed Africa’s oldest Republic in the glare of the international limelight for all the wrong reasons.

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS of 1927, was declared a victory for former President Charles D.B. King of the True Whig Party who was re-elected for a third term after defeating Thomas J. Faulkner of the People’s Party. That vote was however referred to as “the most rigged ever” and made in the Guiness Book of World Record as the most fraudulent ever. Despite the fact that there were fewer than 15,000 registered voters, King received around 240,000 votes, compared to 9,000 for Faulkner.

WHEN PRESIDENT WILLIAM V.S. TUBMAN died in a London Clinic on July 23, 1971, following a post-operative complication from prostate gland surgery at the age of 75, his death ended a 27-year reign that ranks him the longest serving President before him – and after him.

TUBMAN’S 27 YEAR-REIGN PUTS him among the all-time Africa list of longest-serving African heads of states.

IF IT IS ANY CONSOLATION MOAMAR Ghaddafi ruled Libya for more than 40 years before he was overthrown in 2011 and a laundry list of current and former rulers have surpassed Tubman’s Liberia record: Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – Equatorial Guinea and José Eduardo dos Santos of Angola have been in power for 37 years); Robert Mugabe – Zimbabwe (34 years)  Paul Biya – Cameroon (32 years), Yoweri Museveni – Uganda (28 years); Deposed Burkinabe President Blaise Campaore ruled for 27 years; Omar al-Bashir – Sudan (25 years); 7. Idriss Déby – Chad (23 years), Isaias Afwerki – Eritrea (23 years), Yahya Jammeh – The Gambia (20 years) and Denis Sassou Nguesso – Republic of Congo (17 years).

OMAR BONGO RULED Gabon for 42 years until his death in 2009; Mobutu Sese Seko led Zaire for 32 years before fleeing into exile in Morocco after being chased from power in May 2007 after a seven-month rebellion led by a lifelong opponent, Laurent Desire Kabila. He died in September 8, 1997 at the age of 66. Until his death in 2005, General Gnassingbé Eyadéma had led Togo for 38 years.

SO IT WAS a bit refreshing to Liberia embark on the path to an important political transition last weekend when its current President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf used her final appearance at a ruling party convention to turn over the affairs of the party to her Vice President Joseph Boakai.

THAT MOMENT in history is one that is commendable and must be recognized and hailed as a poignant historical note that sets the tone for what is about to unfold in the coming months as Liberia prepares to hold what is inarguably its most important elections in history.

FOR NEARLY A DECADE, the world and Liberia’s international partners have been keenly watching, waiting and anticipating Liberia’s political transition – from one democratically-elected government to another through a smooth and democratic process.

IT IS A PROCESS that is necessary to complete Liberia’s transition from war to peace for the simple reason that a smooth transfer of political power is a fundamental characteristic of the principle of democratic good governance and will show the world that Liberia is poised for political maturity.

NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR Sierra Leone which endured a similar civil war experience as Liberia completed a change of leadership and government when President Ernest Bai Koroma, the current President who was an opposition candidate in 2007, succeeded Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, setting the tone for what many African nations should be striving to emulate.

IN TURNING OVER to her vice President at the Unity Party’s convention last Saturday, President Sirleaf proclaimed as she embarked on yet another historic journey in the post-war nation’s democratic development process, that her administration has expanded the democratic space. “We have worked with all Liberians we have been able to show tolerance as a very rare gem to be maintained and kept in the public glare.  Peace, freedom, integrity democratic values are intangibles we hold not and can and must carry on.”

THE SIRLEAF ADMINISTRATION has endured numerous challenges since assuming office in 2006 and has had its back against the wall for much of its reign. While it has done a lot of good things in the past ten years, including reconnecting Monrovia to Gbarnga, Gbarnga to Ganta and currently in the process of connecting roads to Harper, Maryland County; the UP-led government’s reign has not been without some turbulent moments.

MOST PARTS OF the country remains without electricity although massive improvements are being made to bring the Mount Coffee Hydro plant up to speed and the West Africa Power Grid is in the works.

ACCESS TO SAFE AND AFFORDABLE drinking water remains a challenge and a lot of other challenges remain. But political transition is just as important as any infrastructural development, particularly for Liberia.

POLITICAL TRANSTION is about maturity, it is about poise and it is about displaying our strength as a nation and people, that we can come together in difficult times and show the world that those many days, weeks, months and more than a decade of war was a blip in our country’s history; that we as a people are better than what the world was allowed to see; that we can rise to the occasion when it matters and that we are capable of holding a fair, transparent, peaceful and credible elections when our political future depends on it and when the life of our newfound, post-war democratic survival demands it.

FOR THIS, President Sirleaf deserves some credit for starting a process that we hope would lead to a new beginning. A beginning that will no longer see one party dominance for long stretches of time; while gunning for the record books and hoping to re-establish a political hegemony; a beginning that will ensure that we will no longer be witness to yet another person coming to terms with the sweet taste of power and allowing himself to go astray.

LIBERIA HAS COME a long way – and has lost a lot of good people. We have seen infrastructures ruined that we are still paying for dearly today. All because one individual or a group of people felt they were entitled to power and felt it was necessary to take up arms and kill their fellow citizens to get it.

LIBERIA HAS taken a backseat to nations that were far behind our reach but have overtaken us today because we chose the path of war over the path of peace; because we chose the path of the corrupt and ungovernable rather than the path of accountability and transparency.

THE BEAUTY ABOUT DEMOCRACY is that it allows the people to make the choice that affects their lives. The international community came to our aid, our regional brothers and sisters heard our cries when we were bleeding.

THE TRUTH of the matter is that Liberia’s destiny lies within and only Liberia and Liberians can fix its problems. We can start by embracing the looming opportunity and making the right choices heading into election year.

HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is on the way out for sure. Her anointing of Boakai shows that she is on the verge of doing something rarely seen in modern Liberian politics. Win or lose, the passing of the baton has begun. It is left with Liberia and Liberians to decide how the baton play will end and who will lead us into the next and crucial

Gbarnga, Bong County – President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Saturday inducted Vice President Joseph Boakai as the new standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party.

Report by: Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com

President Sirleaf performed the brief historical ceremony during the early hours of Saturday before thousands of UP partisans, sympathizers, and well-wishers attending the party’s national convention in Gbarnga.

The President noted that Vice President Boakai brings to the UP standard bearer position a wealth of experience that will transform the party and unite partisans in promoting its principals of  working with all Liberians in furtherance of the current democratic path on which the nation continues to progress.

President Sirleaf said, that despite the challenges that have existed in the Unity Party, she was glad that the party remains a trusted and responsible political institution that has and continues to drive the nation to its destiny that many of its citizens are proud of today.

“There will be difficult times in our keeping our party dreams alive but I admonish you Mr. Vice President that with all of us support and constructive engagement the Unity Party will torch bearer of our democracy” President Sirleaf noted.

The President reaffirmed her commitment to the Presidential ambition of Vice President Boakai, adding that she will do all she can to ensure that he is elected come 2017.

President Sirleaf told jubilant UP partisans, sympathizers and well-wishers in the Gbarnga administrative hall that she gives her “unflinching” support to the Vice President because she wants the party to become the bridge of continuity, unity and development in Liberian history.

The Liberian leader informed the gathering that the Unity Party-led government has over the last ten years implemented substantial developments that have impacted the lives of every resident across Liberia.

The President encouraged UP partisans not to take anything for granted, going as far as advising them to make alliances with other political parties if the Unity Party is to win the pending Presidential elections.

The Standard Bearer of the UP admonished party members to strategize new plans for the party’s survival, one that is different from those of the other political parties, even if the party is not in power.

President Sirleaf informed those at the convention to be committed to their collective gains, which would secure a comfortable seat for the Vice President ahead of the 2017 elections, and to warn other parties that the Unity Party is for development.

On democracy in Liberia, President Sirleaf said the Unity Party, the Liberia Unification Party and the Liberia Action Party played a leading role in restoring democracy in the country.

The Liberian Chief Executive said the three political parties challenged the military regime of the time – a first for Liberia – and paved way for multi-party democracy in Liberia.

She challenged party members to use the convention to unite with partisans “who one way or the other felt cheated or hurt,” to reconcile and concentrate on the crucial 2017 elections.

It can be recalled, the out Chairman of the Unity Party Senator Varney Sherman at the start of the convention also pledged his support and loyalty to the Presidential quest of Vice President Boakai, who he said is the ideal candidate to lead the country in the right direction.

Senator Sherman said he will join the campaign come 2017, to go to every nook and corner of the country and canvass for the election of Boakai as President.

He described VP Boakai as one with a humble beginning and also level headed; has the characteristics to revive the hope and aspiration of the UP faithful, who see Boakai as their only hope for redemption both for the party and the country.

He said if the partisans want Boakai to be a successful standard bearer of the party, they should elect the right people.

“Boakai needs a leadership that will work with him to ensure that he becomes successful, and not one that will be suspicious of his presence,” he said, stressing that he needs a leadership that he trusts and that also trusts him.

Nagbe too strong for Fahnbulleh

With Boakai and the former Secretary General of the party Wilmot Paye voted unopposed, all eyes were on the election of who becomes the party’s new Secretary General.

Information Minister Eugene Nagbe overwhelmingly elected as the new National Secretary General of the governing Unity Party. Minister Nagbe defeated Representative Henry Fahnbulleh and Mr. Miller Katacaw with 251 votes to cling the SG position of the UP.

Catacaw took 77 votes ahead of Fahnbulleh, who accumulated 68 of the total ballot cast. Minister Nagbe was elected Saturday morning.

Speaking to FrontPageAfrica, some UP partisans said they have explicit confidence in the ability of Minister Nagbe to  bring the needed transformation that would ensure a more united and robust Unity Party before and after the ensuing 2017 elections.

“Our party needs a reconciler who will heal the wounds and further strengthen our unity in diversity as we prepared our party for the political task in 2017,” the UP partisans emphasized.

The Unity Party Partisans explained that with the wealth of experience the MICAT boss brings to the UP, they have no doubt that he would closely work with everyone in the party to better prepare it before and after the 2017 elections.

Fahnbulleh branded ‘spy’ in UP

Reacting to the defeat of Fahnbulleh, partisans of the party said they were overwhelmingly gratified by the outcome, describing the Monsterrado County Representative as a ‘spy’ and disloyal partisan.

“At one point you will see Representative Fahnbulleh associating with the Congress for Democratic Change then another time he is affiliating with the Unity Party. And for us we see it as an act of inconsistency.

According to the partisans they had long wished for such a day to demonstrate their anger at the ballot box to send a message to Representative Fahnbulleh.

But supporters of the Monsterrado County lawmaker rebuffed the claims and said the Representative has over the years demonstrated high level of commitment to the party over the years.

Clarence Sameway, a member of the Unity Party district 14 chapter said the lawmaker’s commitment to the party is measurable to anyone.

“No one in this party will tell us that he or she has demonstrated high level of commitment as compare to Representative Fahnbulleh,” he added.

Presidential Influence

Arthur Bestman, who lost the position Deputy National Secretary, attributed his defeat to the spat between the former party chairman Cllr. Varney Sherman and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Given his connection to the Sherman bloc, Bestman rue his defeat and said it sent a bad omen for the party.