Africa-Press – Liberia. The opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) which is a constituent member in the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) on Wednesday elected Mr. Alexander Cummings as its standard bearer to face Ambassador Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party (UP) in the pending primary of the CPP.
According to the ANC, the Convention was in compliance with ANC’s Constitution, to elect its Standard Bearer. The Extraordinary Convention will ensure Cumming is the ANC legitimate Candidate to contest in the CPP upcoming convention.
The Convention held at the ANC National Headquarters on the Old Road. Theme for the Convention: “Real Change Vs Second Chance. Be a part of a Democratic Process!.”
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Cummings expressed optimism of winning the CPP nomination to make President Weah a one-term President and that every new daybreak in Liberia will be another day he will work best as he can to change the living conditions of all Liberians.
Cummings said: “Because I believe in real change, because I believe our country needs to seriously change; because I know that ANC is ready to lead that change, today, I am proud and very thankful, to accept the democratic expression of the partisans of the Alternative National Congress, assembled in this Extraordinary National Convention, to allow me proudly bear the ANC’s Standard against others in the CPP, and ultimately, against the failed, corrupt and incompetent leadership of President Weah in 2023.
“Fellow Partisans, I know that there is work ahead to be done. But, I promise you, we will do the work. There are doubts to be erased. We will work as hard as we can to erase those doubts. There are still many who are stuck in Liberia’s past. We will work as hard as we can to bring them into the new future that is possible for the country. We will work, and I am confident – we will win.”
Mr. Cummings further committed the ANC to the CPP’s process stating that the ANC is and has not intention to leave the CPP. “Today, I want you to know that the ANC is not leaving the CPP. We will resolve our differences in the interest of the Liberian people.
“The CPP will, therefore hold, and the CPP will win in 2023! Liberians will not be disappointed – President Weah will be a one-term President! My fellow Liberians: The choice we must make in the CPP, and for our country in 2023, is not one party versus another party. It is not ANC versus UP, or CPP versus CDC. It is also not one tribe versus another tribe, or one religion versus another religion.
“These are the ways traditional politicians have kept us stuck in the past and trapped in division and fear of each other. In the CPP, and in 2023, the real choice for Liberians is and must be one between Liberians who want to seriously change the direction of our country versus Liberians who want to keep our country the same way. It is real change versus another chance – real change versus more of the same.”
Cummings also told supporters that because he believe in “real change” and that Liberia needs to seriously change, the ANC is ready to lead that change.
“Today, I am proud and very thankful, to accept the democratic expression of the partisans of the Alternative National Congress, assembled in this Extraordinary National Convention, to allow me proudly bear the ANC’s Standard against others in the CPP, and ultimately, against the failed, corrupt and incompetent leadership of President Weah in 2023.
He further alluded that there is much work ahead to be done but promised to do the work and erase all the doubts. “We will work as hard as we can to erase those doubts. There are still many who are stuck in Liberia’s past. We will work as hard as we can to bring them into the new future that is possible for the country. We will work, and I am confident – we will win.”
The CPP, Liberia’s biggest opposition bloc has been engulfed in a troubling internal wrangling in the buildup to the Collaboration’s primary aimed at selecting a candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
The collaboration is made up of four main opposition political parties that include Liberty Party (LP), the ANC and the All Liberian Party (ALP) and the immediate past ruling Unity Party. The convention witness the absence of key political leaders of the CPP.
