“I thought I would have won”

Opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) defeated presidential candidate Mr. Alexander Cummings says he actually thought that he would have gotten the seat of the presidency in the just ended October 10 presidential and representatives’ elections.

“Our support was genuine, lots of people worked hard supporting the new comer to the political scene. Am grateful, and I want to thank them”, Mr. Cummings said Thursday, 19 October on a local radio in Monrovia.

Notwithstanding the support of his partisans and work done so far, Mr. Cummings says he realizes that time may have been a factor for his failure to win the presidency.

He says he was always confident that he [would have] had a very good chance if he had made a case to show the Liberian people, but notes that he never had enough time.

The ex-Coca – Cola executive turned – politician says there were lessons learned from the just – ended elections, saying no matter how well the election is run, “we” need to make sure that the electoral process truly reflects the will of the people.

Mr. Cummings expresses believe that the ANC could have done a better job in terms of poll watching processes, and ground gain on the day of the election.

He says he takes responsibility as party leader for the fact that the process was not robust and as effective as it should have been.

Cummings says the last lesson learned was that it takes longer time to convince a country to support you in becoming its leader.

He joins some parties to complain that the just ended election conducted by the National Elections Commission (NEC) was characterized by fraud, adding that the execution of the election was not very competent.

Regarding who he will support in the runoff election, Mr. Cummings says he still believes that he was the best candidate in the race, but the runoff choice is about what the party will be willing to commit to on behalf of the Liberian people.

According to Mr. Cummings, “reputational risk” will be associated with whichever direction he decides to go, saying he came to the process with reputation and integrity, and he will leave reputation and integrity.

He appealed to Liberians to demand whoever they chose to maintain the free speech, fighting corruption and taking out wages and make sure that Liberians are not spectators to the economy.

Mr. Cummings says he does not seek to have any job, no matter who wins, vowing to be a constructive opposition for the next years and build up the ANC for the six years.

By Samuel P. Kamara–Edited by Winston W. Parley