Re-electing UP will be disastrous

Presidential hopeful and standard bearer of the opposition Liberty Party Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine is warning Liberian voters and opposition political parties here not to give the governing Unity Party a third term in office, stressing that doing so will be disastrous for Liberia.

Brumskine remains vehemently opposed to giving the ruling UP another six years in office and has never minced his words in expressing so in public. The UP is at the verge of completing two terms (12 consecutive years) under the Presidency of Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

She is constitutionally unqualified to serve another term in office as she steps down in 2018, but the ruling party has elected Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai as its next standard bearer to vie for the Presidency in 2017.

Speaking at an endorsement ceremony over the weekend in Gbarnga, Bong County – Central Liberia, Cllr. Brumskine reiterated the need for members of the opposition to unite and stop the ruling party at the ballot box, adding that after ruling for twelve years, it will be disastrous to give it another six years or probably twelve years as the UP may not want to relinquish power anytime soon.

The Liberty Party leader said he feels extremely bad when members of the opposition are declaring support for the candidacy of Vice President Joseph Boakai instead of amalgamating forces against him.

He promised a better Liberia under a Liberty Party-led government and emphasized the need for Liberians to work together if the country should go forward. A local organization, Political Action Group of Liberia or PAGL endorsed Cllr. Brumskine for the Presidency over the weekend.

The group, which is headed by Mr. Emmanuel Lomax, an ex-executive of the opposition All Liberian Party of businessman Benoni Urey, brought together hundreds of citizens from various parts of Bong County and Liberia.

Reading the endorsement, Mr. Lomax said he and his group strongly believe Counselor Brumskine is the right person Liberians should trust with the Presidency. Lomax, who recently joined the Liberty Party, said the PAGL, which has membership across the country, will do everything it can to mobilize citizens in his native Bong and beyond to elect Cllr. Brumskine.

Receiving the endorsement, the Liberty Party leader commended Lomax and members of his group for endorsing his candidacy. The occasion was witnessed by several LP lawmakers, including Senator Jonathan Karpee of Grand Bassa County, Representative Barron Brown of Grand Bassa and Senator Steve Zargo of Lofa County, respectively.

Turnout at the ceremony surprised many as the Gbarnga Administration Building was jam-packed with some participants and well-wishers remaining outdoor due to the lack of space. Lomax and his Bong County Chairman John Willie, including influential youth Salis Tokpah have received commendation for working assiduously in mobilizing citizens for such massive turnout.

In previous visit to Bong County, Cllr. Brumskine had described Bong County as very strategic for the pending elections, urging his partisans and party executives to go all out in recruiting eligible voters to ensure the Liberty Party wins the Presidency in 2017.

By Papa Morris