Brumskine fishes PUP

In his quest to build a united opposition bloc ahead of the 2017 General and Presidential Elections, Liberty Party (LP) political leader Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine has reportedly thrown his bait for newly formed People’s Unification Party, the PUP.

The PUP emerged last year on the Liberian political landscape on the pedestal of being a party for grass-rooters or indigenous Liberians. A member of the Governing Commission of the PUP and also one of the founders of the party, Margibi County Representative Emmanuel Nuquay disclosed recently in the county that Brumskine had invited him for political discussions.

The Margibi County District#5 Lawmaker, who resigned from the governing Unity Party to join the organizing committee of the PUP, did not detail the discussions held with Brumskine, but added that he told the LP political leader: “The circle of regular elections has helped us to build the consciousness of our people, so nobody is going to just deceive our people and they follow that person. The people now will listen to
their own sons and daughters, and they will hold together.”

Whatever that means in the game of politics, Brumskine should take cue from there and have his dream achieved. The Liberty Party is also in talks with the main opposition Congress for Democratic Change or CDC, including its political leader, Montserrado County Senator George Weah, and those talks are being spearheaded by Brumskine himself as was demonstrated when he appeared at the Liberian Senate recently to meet with Weah.

But the CDC has set as condition in the outcome of any merger or collaborative talks that Weah would not go as running mate to any politician in the pending elections like he did in 2011 when he became vice standard bearer to ex-UN envoy, Cllr. Winston A. Tubman.

Unlike CDC, the PUP is a virgin ground because it has no standard bearer yet, which seems to be promising water to fish in and Brumskine is ceasing the opportunity. The party celebrated its first anniversary last Saturday, August 1st in Kakata, Margibi County, and the Liberty Party graced the occasion with the presence of its National Chairman, Cllr. Jonathan FonatiKofa.

Chairman Kofa told reporters in Kakata that the significance of the PUP’s anniversary is that through strategic visioning; sons and daughters of Liberia came together and decided they have to find a seat at the political table for the proper unification of the country, noting that the PUP has succeeded in doing so.

“This is a party that without fielding a presidential candidate in this first year, has emerged as a giant among political parties in Liberia”, Cllr. Kofa complimented. When asked whether he sees the party as a treat comes 2017, the LP chair responded: “No, I see PUP as an opportunity.” 

Speaking earlier at the occasion, he was however quick to clarify that his presence at the first anniversary should not be misconstrued as going to take something from the PUP, adding that he had gone there to observe the party’s strategies and maybe improve on them for the Liberty Party.

According to Cllr. Kofa, his comments to the audience in the hall during the program means the LP is out for partnership. He said he sees the vision of the PUP as a party that has emerged on the stage to form a part of the collaboration discussions among political parties as to the way forward in 2017.

Cllr Kofa: “Because of the PUP, this section and belt of our people will be at the table and will share in the power sharing arrangement that is 2017. I think that is the vision and that is the same thing that the Liberty shares.” Editing by Jonathan Browne