The national chairman of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties Mr. Alexander Cummings has called on its partisans and executives, including former vice president and political leader of the former ruling Unity Party, Joseph Boakai; Grand Bassa County Senator and political leader of the Liberty Party, Yonblee Kangar Lawrence, businessman turned-politician Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party, members of the CPP’s legislative caucus and well-wishers to converge tomorrow, Friday, September 25, at the Supreme Court of Liberia to file a writ of prohibition against the December 08 Special Senatorial election.
“Therefore, we seize this moment to inform all of our people across Liberia and abroad that the actions of the NEC have left us with no other alternative than to commence legal and sustained political actions to correct all the missteps we raised in our communications of September 10th and 18th as follow: On Friday of this week, our lawyers will file a Petition for the Writ of Prohibition before the Supreme Court, calling for an immediate halt and cancellation of the ongoing Voter Roll Update Exercises until these issues which border on the credibility of the elections are fully addressed”, chairman Cummings said.
He said the CPP will conduct comprehensive Communication/Awareness across the country to inform Liberians in every town, village or hamlet about danger the CDC-led government and its election commissioners pose to the pending elections, adding that CPP will ensure Liberians are aware of plans to rig the elections and cause electoral disputes across the country.
Addressing a news conference in Monrovia earlier this week, the opposition leader said at a date to be announced, the opposition bloc led by the CPP and the Rainbow Coalition, another group of opposition parties will engage in a civil but sustained political action until very serious issues raised are addressed.
He said these political actions will take place in all 15 counties but with focus on the capital, saying CPP will draw the attention of the world to the blatant display of poor handling of the electoral processes, which has the propensity to derail the country’s fragile peace and security.
“Fellow Liberians, the plans of this CDC-led government to derail our peace and stability does not stop at what is happening with our elections. It is evident in every decision they have made and the shame and anger it brings to our people. Over the past few days, our country has been the subject of local and international disrepute as we witness several sad and dramatic scandals that are characteristic of the CDC-led government and clearly inimical to the image, peace and security of our country,” Cummings added.
He counted ongoing strike by health workers demanding incentives, sexual assault allegation against Foreign Minister-Designate, Dee Maxwee Kemayah, passport scandal at the Foreign Ministry, which led the United Strates Government to bar suspended passport director Andrew Wonploe and his immediate family, as among other vices of the Weah administration that need urgent attention.
“This is absurd and unacceptable! We will be addressing that and other issues in a subsequent statement to be published as our focus today is on the fraudulent and irregular electoral process which is the most imminent danger to our peace and security. In closing, the CPP wants to re-emphasize that it remains committed to our peace and stability but will not sit idly and allow evil to triumph at the detriment of our people,” he added.
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Cummings told the conference that the CPP have detailed about the experience with the NEC, which presents very troubling signs for Liberia, adding CPP has shown significant good faith and abided by all NEC rules, including the submission of all its candidates for the 15 counties.
“However, what this government and its Elections Commissioners are doing is a recipe for elections disputes which have had devastating consequences on our country in the past. Evidently, the compromised and CDC-led NEC is bent on reverting to our ugly past by endeavoring to conduct an election that has already been marred by fraud and gross irregularities from the very onset of the electoral process.”
According to him, they have failed to address the immense violations of the election laws and the 1986 constitutional provisions on elections.
He said currently, there is overwhelming evidence of mass trucking, registration of minors, registration of foreigners, double and triple registration, registration without names, registration in private homes, change of registration centers without notice to parties or citizens, intense violence, bodily injury and destruction of properties, all across the country.
“The NEC in its statement released last night alluded to these violations of our laws but failed to halt the process and institute an investigation. Just yesterday, we received recordings of officers believed to be Sierra Leonean police, arresting people allegedly conducting Liberian Voter registration in Sierra Leone across the border from Cape Mount,” he concluded.
Friday’s protest by opposition politicians will present another test whether the ruling Coalition-led government has enough courage to tolerate dissent at its doorstep with just two months to the special senatorial election.
By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Editing by Jonathan Browne
