Africa-Press – Liberia. The CMC acknowledged that while the eviction may have had legal justification, its execution created the impression of humiliation, division, and triumphalism, an attitude the group considers dangerous for Liberia’s democratic growth.
Government’s move to evict the country’s main opposition political party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) on the ‘order of the court’ has been greeted with massive criticisms and condemnation by different political groupings and individuals.
Court sheriffs, backed by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), stormed the CDC headquarters early Saturday morning, August 23, 2025 to enforce a court-ordered eviction.
During the eviction exercise, several structures including a signature project – the Munah Pelham Technical and Vocational Institute (Munah-Tech) were all crushed to the ground.
The demolition was triggered by a ruling by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court which awarded the 4.23-acre property near Bernard’s Beach to the Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard.
In his legal decision, Judge George W. Smith ruled that the CDC had no legal ownership of the land after reviewing deeds and boundary lines, and instructed the Montserrado County Sheriff to execute the eviction.
In light of the ruling, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman announced that the police would provide support to the sheriffs in carrying out the court’s mandate.
But while some believe that the action was predicated on a legal basis and needed to be enforced by the Executive, several have also expressed serious opposition to what they think was a more political action that has the propensity to propel the country into chaos that could undermine the already struggling economy.
CMC Describes CDC Eviction as “A Sad Day for Liberian Politics”
For the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), the recent eviction of the CDC from its national headquarters was “a sad day for Liberian politics and for democracy.”
CMC, one of the country’s newest political parties established by Nimba County District #7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility, pointed out that the action undermines the country’s fragile political culture.
In a press statement issued over the weekend, the CMC acknowledged that while the eviction may have had legal justification, its execution created the impression of humiliation, division, and triumphalism, an attitude the group considers dangerous for Liberia’s democratic growth.
“The humiliation of any political party is not a victory for democracy. The only proper and legitimate way to defeat a political party is through the ballot box. To celebrate otherwise is to cheapen the very foundation of multiparty democracy that Liberia has fought so hard to build. What happened should not have happened, and no one should find joy in it,” read the statement.
CMC also cautioned the ruling Unity Party (UP) against viewing the eviction as a political win, as the UP itself faced similar accusations of political interference and humiliation when circumstances were reversed.
According to the political newborn, the incident should serve as a sobering reminder that democracy cannot thrive on humiliation and revenge, but rather on tolerance, civility, and genuine competition of ideas.
The CMC further urged the CDC to use the experience as an opportunity to restructure and strengthen its internal systems, while calling on the ruling establishment to reflect on how it engages with political opponents.
“For the ruling establishment, this should be a time of reflection on how to engage opponents with civility and maturity. And for Liberia as a whole, let this serve as a reminder: humiliation is not democracy, and democracy cannot survive without respect, fairness, and peace,” added the CMC.
Moriah Yeakula-Korkpor Believes It’s Political Vendetta
A stalwart of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Cllr. Moriah Yeakula-Korkpor, in a Facebook post, coined the action as political vendetta at play.
However, the high-ranking member of the ANC, which has in recent times slopped on the CDC, called on CDCians to rise from the ashes and move on.
“Today thousands of CDCians’ hearts are broken. It’s clear your leaders fought legally to keep your HQ but the law is the law and when political vendetta is at play, the worst happens. Stay united. Rise out of the ashes, like a Phoenix. This too is Liberia.”
CDC Undeterred
Margibi County Senator and stalwart of the Party, Nathaniel F. McGill, in an encouraging message to fellows, says the party remains strong and undeterred despite the eviction.
Sen. McGill, a former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in President Weah’s regime, says the party is built on the foundation of people and not physical structures.
“The breaking of buildings does not break the CDC. Our party is built on the foundation of people, not on structures or spaces. The CDC is a movement rooted in the hearts of the people. Today’s demolition of the CDC Headquarters was a wrong political move… 2029 will be your answer. We are now stronger and more united than ever before,” he wrote on his Facebook timeline.
Weah’s Response to Eviction
In a statement delivered on Saturday night, former President George Manneh Weah described the eviction as “partisan political mischief” by the Unity Party (UP)-led government under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Former President Weah termed the destruction of the CDC compound as “unfortunate and regrettable” but urged partisans and supporters to remain calm, law-abiding, and respectful of due process.
“Fellow Liberians, especially our supporters and sympathizers, I encourage you to stay calm, remain law-abiding, and respect due process in the interest of our democracy, the rule of law, and peaceful coexistence among all Liberians,” the former Liberian leader called on partisans and supporters.
The former president accused the Boakai administration of disregarding the rule of law and abusing power, claiming the police acted on direct orders from the president despite the CDC’s pending appeals in court.
“This was not a lawful eviction; it was a failed mission to destroy and erase the CDC in an attempt to fulfil the very wish Boakai has repeatedly expressed to his lieutenants,” Weah charged.
But of all this, he let CDCians know that the sky remains blue for the party with a new state-of-an-art national headquarters that would be built in the soonest possible time.
The Law is the Law, President Boakai Defense Eviction Exercise
On the other side of the coin, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has defended the demolition of the opposition CDC headquarters, insisting that the action was the enforcement of a court ruling and not a political decision.
“The law is the law. It is not the government; it is the government’s implementation of the law,” President Boakai told reporters upon his return from Japan. “The police were ordered to carry out the action, and they did. That demolition was simply the removal of people from premises that did not belong to them.”
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