By Lewis S. Teh
The ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has announced the postponement of its planned petitioning ceremony for incumbent President George Manneh Weah’s re-election bid.
The Weah petitioning program was scheduled to be held on 17 December at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, the same venue and date the ANC plans to hold its peaceful assembly to denounce the alleged suffering that Liberians faced under the CDC regime.
During a press conference Friday, 9 December 2022, CDC National Chairman Mulbah Morlu said the decision to postpone President Weah’s petition for re-election was to maintain the peace in Liberia.
Chairman Morlu told the media at the CDC headquarters that the decision was not a result of fear of any opposition.
“Our decision to suspend the CDC petition rally is in adherence to[a] call received from President Weah to have the renomination program rescheduled for February 14, 2023, for the maintenance and sustenance of peace,” Morlu said.
According to him, the CDC is on record for upholding the peace in Liberia.
He argued that evidence was shown during the party’s days in opposition when President Weah was allegedly robbed of the presidency in the 2011 election and later served as a peace ambassador in the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf regime.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
Weah’s party boycotted the second round of the 2011 election which former President Sirleaf won.
The ANC has announced a rally scheduled for 17 December to call the government’s attention to its alleged poor handling of the state.
The opposition party claimed that this is resulting in massive suffering for the vast majority of the citizens.
According to the opposition, Liberians are suffering, and some are going through unbearable conditions.
Due to these conditions, the opposition ANC said it is rallying the nation to make a clarion call on its government.
Ambassador Lewis G. Brown, Liberia’s former Information Minister, now chairman of the presidential team of ANC standard bearer Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, is a key architect of the pending December 17 rally.
The organizers of the anticipated December 17, rally dubbed “We Tiya [tired] Suffering,” say the mass citizens’ action is on course and that no number of threats from the regime and its supporters can put the organizers into submission.
The protest is being organized under the auspices of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), an opposition bloc headed by Mr. Cummings.
Amb. Brown has disclosed that tens of thousands of people will converge outside the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex and other parts of greater Monrovia on December 17 to demonstrate against President Weah and his government’s insensitivity to the plight of the Liberian people.
But responding to the opposition, Mr. Morlu said if anyone thinks that the CDC is suspending its petition because of their continued threat, they must be joking.
Morlu argued that the CDC is a respecter of the people’s rights, noting that under President Weah, the government will do all it can to protect the peace and stability of the country.
According to him, the CPP’s planned protest is an attempt to undermine the CDC rally and to cause chaos in the country.
Morlu stated that the CDC is aware of the opposition’s tactics, saying it will do all in its power to maintain and sustain the peace as it has always done.
Meanwhile, the newly elected CDC Secretary-General and Monrovia Mayor Jefferson Koijee have warned presidential appointees who are allegedly involved in double standards with the opposition community to undermine the government to desist.
He warned that the CDC will expose the appointees’ deception.
According to him, the ruling party will resist any attempt by insiders who want to undermine the government’s effort in the transformation of the country.
He maintained that moving forward, ministries and agencies will be monitored and will act accordingly under the guidance of the CDC.
“Government officials, especially presidential appointees who are engaged in double standards, need to be warned about their activities,” said Koijee.
Define “double standard”. Is every Ministry or every Minister a member of the leading party? If this Secretary was a Minister or Judge, or Legislator or was really born in Monrovia, will he admit the conference of another party in his administration? Do not restrict the freedom of flow of information, especially some form of guidance the President or incumbent or a Presidential Candidate will not do. Do not forget the actions of TWP that caused the mandate for multi parties, as enshrined in the constitution. You cannot give a mandate to the President. Only the people of Liberia can, especially in a referendum. No party or individual, independent candidate, unless freely or fairly elected by the people, for the people, and of can make a defined standard decision. The next election is 2023.