Opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) former vice standard bearer Mr. Jeremiah C. Sulonteh has officially joined the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), a constituent party of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.
The CDC becomes the fifth political party Mr. Sulonteh has subscribed political loyalty to in sixteen years. Sulonteh is Liberia’s former Ambassador to the United States, Mexico and Candida. He was a member of the Liberia Action Party (LAP) in 2004, but resigned to join the National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) in 2005.
Mr. Sulunteh became a member of the then newly elected ruling Unity Party in 2006 after he lost the Vice Presidency to Joseph Nyumah Boakai. He later joined the Alternative National Congress in 2017 and became the Vice Standard Bearer in the 2017 general and Presidential elections to party leader Mr. Alexander Cummings.
Sulonteh however failed to deliver his district to the ANC. Making his official pronouncement to the Congress for Democratic Change on Saturday, 17 October in Gbarnga, Ambassador Sulunteh said his decision to join the ruling establishment comes from the party’s willingness to support national patriotism and the love for all.
He says following consultation with his family and supporters, he realized that it’s appropriate for national interest to supersede his personal interest, describing the CDC as a party that supports nationalism.
“Having gathered in the beautiful city of Gbarnga today, I am very delighted to announce to you and to the people of Bong County and Liberia that our loyal and committed members of the friends of Sulunteh join me here today to officially and publicly declare our membership to the mighty Congress for Democratic,” he says.
“I want to tell Mr. Chairman, that we are coming to the CDC with no pre-condition,” Mr. Sulunteh adds. Mr. Sulonteh describes the failure of the Collaborating Political Parties CPP to conduct primary in Bong County as deceit on the part of the CPP officials. “Why should you conduct a primary in other counties and handpick candidate in Bong County? That is what we call deceit,” he adds.
Later, Mr. Sulunteh tells the public that he will not contest in the upcoming elections, and has declared support for Bong County incumbent Senator Henry Willie Yallah. “Once I have joined the CDC, there is no way that I can support another person so I want to announce my support for Hon. Yallah in the upcoming elections,” he maintains.
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Accepting Mr. Sulunteh, CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu thanks the Ambassador for crossing carpet to the ‘mighty CDC”. Chairman Morlu describes Ambassador Sulunteh as an experienced man who has served the country and will bring a lot to the party.
He says the party will do all it can to ensure that its new member gets all the benefits he deserves.
“I want to tell you Amb. Sulunteh, even though you said you have come to the party without a pre-condition, but I can assure you that what belongs to you will be given,” Morlu says.
“Our party is a party that loves everyone and gives to everyone what belongs to him/her, so you are welcome and thank you for joining us as we fight for the best for our people,” he concludes. Our Bong County correspondent says this is the fourth time Ambassador Sulunteh has back- off from a senatorial election.
He withdrew from the raise in 2011 on grounds that former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf asked him to support another candidate. He also failed to contest in 2014 and supported another person and in the 2018 senatorial by-election after the CDC failed to support him as he expected.
By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong County–Edited by Winston W. Parley
