PHOTO: Mulbah Morlu, ruling Coalition Chairman
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The three constituent political parties that constitute the Coalition for Democratic Change have agreed and re-affirmed their commitments to work together to ensure the re-election of the Waeh-led government in the 2023 presidential and legislative.
The agreement and reaffirmation of the Liberia People Democratic Party (PDPL), the National Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Congress for Democratic Change was made known in a document dated September 8, 2023 and signed the chairmen and political leaders of the three political parties.
President George Weah and CDC National Chairman, Mulbah Morlu signed on behalf of the Congress for Democratic Change; the political leader of the NPP; Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor and National Chairman, Senator James Banny signed for the NPP; and former Speaker Alex Tyler, the political leaders of the LPDL and its National Chairman, Moses Kollie signed the agreement on behalf of the LPDP.
The document titled: “Reaffirmation of Commitment to Work Together in The Ensuing 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections,” said they recognized the tremendous development gains of the CDC-;led government, which remains committed to fulfilling the solemn promises that inspired into existence of the coalition
Addressing a press conference during the weekend, CDC National Chairman, Mulbah Morlu, disclosed that members of the national executive committees of the three political parties that formed the Coalition for Democratic Change are expected to converge in Gbarnga, Bong County for a two-day retreat
According to Chairman, the retreat is expected to discuss the strategy for the petitioning of President Weah to contest for the second term and to prepare various committees of the coalition for the petitioning ceremony of President George Weah on December 17, 2022
But barely one day following the signing of this agreement, the national youth wing and the coordinator council of the Liberia People’s Democratic Party on their political leader and national chairman to immediately withdraw their signatures for the reaffirmation of commitment to work together in the ensuing 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
But addressing an impromptu press conference Sunday, the spokesman of the national youth wing and the coordinator council, Prince Flomo, rejected the agreement on ground that they were only given a mandate to re-negotiate the agreement and report back to the national executive committee of the LPDP.
According to Mr. Flomo, since the signing of the agreement in 2016, the LPDP has been marginalized, denied of jobs and relegated on national decision making of the coalition. ‘
Mr. Flomo also directed the political leader, former Speaker Alex Tyler and National Chairman, Moses Kollie to recall their signatures because the agreement does not represent the entire national executive committee of the LPDP
As for the NPP, there appears to be disagreements in the leadership of the NPP on the schedule for the holding of national convention and holding elections for the new corps of officers.
The long- standing division is between the group loyal to the NPP standard bearer, Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor and the party’s National Chairman, Senator James Barney.
Recently, the court gave the current leadership 45 days to hold a national convention in order to conduct an election foe new corps of officers but, the division seems to stalling the entire process
The last agreement that brought the CDC, NPP and LPDP was signed 2016 and since the winning of the elections, the NPP and the LPDP have both complained of marginalization.