Urey’s 1 million men march today

Businessman Benoni Urey’s newly formed All Liberian Party or ALP has announced a formal launch this Wednesday, 4 November in Monrovia, bragging to put one million of Liberia’s 4 million population in the streets in a show of strength.

Mr. Urey, former Liberia Maritime Commissioner, under the Taylor regime, is seeking the presidency of Liberia. Senator George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change or CDC had similarly pronounced one million march in Monrovia, but the authorities halted the party due to failure to obtain permit from the Ministry of Justice.

The ALP says the formal launch will be characterized by street parade of partisans, who will subsequently converge at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia for the official program. Speaking to The NewDawnTuesday at the ATS, national chairman Emmanuel Lomax, said the party has employed new variables and techniques to attract more voters.
Lomax said each electoral district in Montserrado County is expected to pull 50,000 persons and if the mathematics is correct, then all 17 electoral districts in the county will produce about 850,000 persons, while the party’s youth and women wings will mobilize 150,000 citizens to reach the one million mark.
Liberians are expected to go to the poll on October 14, 2017 to elect a new president, vice president and members of the House of Representatives.
“We will tell the public that the ALP is ready for State power because the launch will be a determining factor for the 2017 Presidential and Representatives elections. We will win the election about 80 percent on first round basis,” the ALP chairman said.

When asked whether the party has written the Ministry of Justice for official permit to mobilize such huge turnout in the streets of Monrovia, Lomax said the ALP does not need any permit from anyone, not even the Justice Ministry for the launch.

He argues that Article 17 of the Constitution of Liberia provides that citizens have a right to assemble and to associate without permit from any authority.  Article 17: “All persons, at all times, in an orderly and peaceable manner, shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good, to instruct their representatives, to petition the Government or other functionaries for the redress of grievances and to associate fully with others or refuse to associate in political parties, trade unions and other organizations”.

However, the government has made it a policy that any group whether social, religious, economic or political desirous of mobilizing citizens into the streets, must first seek approval from the Ministry of Justice to ensure public safety.

Lomax however said the party has contacted the Liberian National Policefor security.

By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor -Edited by Jonathan Browne