EDITORIAL- Weah Must Speak

Of late, reports have been emerging about a political marriage between the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and ruling Unity Party or UP. One of such reports was published in our Wednesday, May 19, 2010 edition captioned: UP Takes over CDC HQ: Weah, Nagbe Give In?

That story suggested that the political Leader of the CDC, George Manneh Weah, Secretary General Lenn Eugene Nagbe, who is presently on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s official delegation to the United States and Europe and others were about to give in to the ruling Unity Party.

We also reported that a team of Unity Party strategists and lobbyists in the United States and back home coordinated by Chairman Varney Sherman has for weeks, been negotiating with Mr. Weah and a number of CDC officials, including Secretary General Nagbe to merge with the new Unity Party.

Even though the National Chairman of the CDC, Senator Geraldine Doe-Sheriff told the New Dawn that she was not knowledgeable about the reports and that only Mr. Weah or the Party’s Executive Committee could speak to the issue, the delays in providing clarity may further lend credence to such speculations, especially when the political leader of the CDC is still tight-lipped since his arrival in the country on Tuesday.

Whether or not there’s truth attached to such information, Weah must clear the air, especially when the news is that he, in particular, has been in discussions in the United States with UP lobbyists and a few influential individuals believed to be close U.S associates of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Weah must indeed speak. His admirers, followers and partisans and people of Liberia want to hear from him on this matter.

With the coffers of almost all of the opposition political parties completely depleted and the very huge cash-flow among the few ruling elites who continue to ignore the degrading socio-economic well-being of the majority, we have all reasons to fear that these parties would soon submit their political birth rights or “pass away.”

It is no secret that Madam President is  desperate to succeed herself  for a second term despite the TRC indictment which hangs over her, and so whatever must be done-whether by “hook or crook” will have to be done for soft landing in October or November of 2011.

Political pendulums from a number of opposition political parties are already seeing roaming all over Monrovia and on radio talk-shows showering Madam President with warm sentimental platitudes, even when things are not going the way they should.

Again, politics is not only interest, but the art of the possible. This is why the loud and harsh-talking Secretary General of the CDC may not even be as he was prior to his trip with the President and Political Leader of the new Unity Party upon his return to Liberia.

We do agree that every Liberian citizen has a constitutional right to associate or affiliate. But what we foresee as very troubling and dangerous is the path on which we are beginning to thread, and that is, a one-party state. Just watch it.