Africa-Press – Liberia. The political leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander B. Cummings has warned his colleagues within the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that he will not be part of any decision that will violate the framework that established the CPP.
“Where there is insistence on not correcting our collective mistake, but to continue to proceed wrongly, in spite of clear violations of our laws, I will not be part of it. We owe the Liberian people an obligation to do things differently; to be better than this government. If not, how are we the alternative?” he asked rhetorically.
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.
Mr. Cummings recently walked out of a meeting convened by the chairperson of the collaboration, Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence, noting that the gathering had no agenda and as such he had no business being there.
Also in attendance at that meeting were former Vice President, Joseph N. Boakai (UP), Mr. Benoni Urey (ALP), Senator of the Liberty Party (LP) and the chairperson, who is also the political leader of the LP.
An earlier decision to extend the tenure of Senator Karnga-Lawrence as head of the CPP instead of ambassador Boakai taking charge, had caused rage among ANC stalwarts and supporters who felt that the political parties’ leaders were deviating from the framework document that consummated the collaboration.
Cummings also turned down an invitation extended him last Saturday to grace the endorsement of the UP political leader as the party’s choice for the CPP upcoming convention.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, the ANC political leader acknowledged that he had earlier agreed with his colleagues to allow Senator Karngar-Lawrence to serve beyond her expired term, but later disagreed after he was advised by the ANC’s lawyers that the decision was wrong, and violated the CPP framework.
He noted that he cannot be a part of the wrongs that violate the CPP framework document; adding, the CPP must show it is the right alternative to succeed the Weah-led administration.
“I reached out to my colleagues to abandon the decision to extend the tenure of Senator Karnga-Lawrence but they were determined to carry on the plan, something that led to his walkout,” he said.
“A wrong is a wrong regardless of who commits it, including myself. Recognizing and correcting a wrong is not weakness. It is an attribute of leadership, and is honorable,” he noted, “doubling down on wrongs is dishonorable and a product of undemocratic leadership.”
He however, reaffirms his party’s commitment to a united opposition in 2023; adding, “It is the only way to make President Weah a one term president.”
The ANC’S Arrowhead however frowned at the proposed bloc voting process that is being pushed by the hierarchy and supporters of the opposition Unity Party.
“Insofar as it risks undermining what we have agreed to collectively, the actions of a constituent-member party cannot be said to be internal. When we agreed to act as one in the CPP, we also agreed to be publicly judged. The undemocratic action of one member-party, in violation of the core values and guiding principles of the CPP, its own constitution and NEC Guidelines casts a broader aspersion on the CPP, and reflects poorly on all of us,”
“Either we believe in what we agree to stand for, or we don’t. We simply cannot have it both ways,” Cummings said.
