Brumskine seeks united opposition

Following a mini-convention in Voinjama, Lofa County the Liberty Party has elected its ex-standard bearer Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine to lead the party to national convention in 2017, replacing former Bong County Senator Franklin Siakor.

Cllr. Brumskine arrived in Voinjama over the weekend hours after his election by delegates as thousands of partisans of the party from across Liberia stormed the provincial capital to welcome and appreciate their political leader-elect.

“My fellow Liberians, making Liberia a better place for all Liberians, is something that Liberty Party would rather not attempt to do alone. Liberia’s next government must be one of genuine inclusion, a government that is the product of political collaboration, based upon the finding of a common thread from within our various political tenets, a set of shared values from among our competing ideals and governance philosophies; all being done for the greater good of our nation,” Brumskine declared.

He said the LP’s call is about improving the wellbeing of the Liberian people, which a united opposition can do, adding that this is not about a political victory for Liberty Party or any single opposition political party; but about placing Liberia on a path of liberal democracy, rather than being witnesses to the creation of yet another political hegemony in the country.

“Liberty Party”, Brumskine said, “does not seek a zero sum game; this is not about a winner taking all. The table is large enough for every opposition political party to sit around; the government is big enough for each to play a role; the interest of all is to be considered, as we collectively understand and agree that Liberia must be our overriding concern. Our call is about each of us in the political opposition giving up something so that all of us may get the reward of a better Liberia.”

Cllr. Brumskine, like many Liberian politicians, had contested for the Presidency twice and lost, but has not given up as he cherishes his dream to lead Liberia one day thru popular votes from the electorate.

According to him, there will always be a favorite son or daughter in probably every political subdivision of the country, and as the law allows, the formation of one new political party after another, but stressed that until political parties in Liberia can come together and build a strong and viable opposition block, those parties will remain political giants of their respective constituencies, with many more political parties, whether old or new; big or small; almost winning or always losing.

“Twice the opposition has lost because the opposition has been in a state of disarray, which has been exploited by the Unity Party to its advantage. There is a strongman from Nimba County, a strongman of Montserrado County, and yet still, there is this fellow from the Bassa Region; and of course, as there are many other political giants from around the country, with a proliferation of political parties,” he pointed out.

Brumskine reminded that days had come and gone; one thing is certain, unless and until parties find the political will and patriotic resolve to build a winning coalition, they might all remain nothing more than weak oppositions, unable to affect the plight of those whom they claim to represent, and without the authority to impact the destiny of the nation.

The Liberty Party strongman was elected on a white ballot, with 14 of Liberia’s 15 political subdivisions voting in his favor, while delegates from Montserrado County abstained on grounds that they “can’t vote in the absence of the man who wants to become political leader.” By Ben P. Wesee – Editing by Jonathan Browne