PHOTO: (L-R) Saide Sackpor, Convention Co-Chair; Eric Olson TWP Political Leader
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
Liberia’s oldest surviving political party, True Whig Party (TWP) has officially written the National Elections Commission (NEC) requesting to hold its 37th national convention and the elections of a new corps of officers in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County beginning April 30 2026.
TWP’s Political leader, Eric Olson, disclosed that the decision to write a new letter to NEC for a new date for the party’s national convention followed the abortive gathering because of confusion regarding the delegates.
Addressing a press conference held in Monrovia, Mr. Olson added that issues that aborted the February 14th national conference are being resolved.
According to Mr. Olson, Reginald Goodridge has also been informed of the developments unfolding regarding the selection of delegates in order to hold a peaceful national convention.
The TWP political leader expressed the hope that the national convention committee will be given the free will to conduct the convention and hold the elections for the new corps of officers
Also speaking during the press conference, the Co-Chairperson of the 2026 TWP National Convention, Reverend Saide Seton-Sackor, disclosed that the convention was aborted because of the refusal of the members of the convention committee to agree on the delegates from Montserrado, Lofa and Bong Counties.
According to her, the chairpersons from the three counties are dead as such the co-chairpersons from these three counties were replaced by their vice chairpersons.
“But, their replacement was unacceptable to some members of the national convention who were also having different names of their interest,” she said; adding: “to our surprise, we noticed that some other members of the committee have different listing of delegates.”
She explained that the national convention was aborted because of Mr. Goodridge’s demand that he will be responsible to send the names of delegates from Montserrado, Lofa and Bong Counties and nobody else.
Reverend Sackor noted that discussion is currently going on among the members of the national executive committee in order to resolve the issues regarding the delegates’ listing.
Founded in 1869 in Clay-Ashland, the True Whig Party (TWP) was the oldest political party in Liberia and Africa, representing the interests of dark-skinned Americo-Liberian settlers and upriver planters.
It challenged the lighter-skinned elite Republican Party, establishing a 100-year, de facto one-party state (1878–1980) based on elite control and co-optation.
The TWP first came to power with the election of Edward James Roye in 1869, who became president in 1870.
After a turbulent start and the overthrow of Roye, the TWP solidified its power in 1878, following the end of President Anthony W. Gardiner’s term, initiating over a century of unchallenged rule.
The party’s longevity was based on a close-knit group of Americo-Liberian elites controlling the government and, frequently, in tandem with the Masonic Order of Liberia.
They maintained power by holding sway over the indigenous population (95% of the populace) and limiting political competition.
Initially focused on settler politics, the party adapted under leaders like William V.S. Tubman, who implemented the “Unification Policy” to bridge the gap between the Americo-Liberian settlers and indigenous communities.
The TWP remained in power until April 1980, when it was dissolved following a violent military coup led by Samuel Doe, which brought an end to Americo-Liberian political dominance.
The True Whig Party, thus, served as the primary vehicle for Americo-Liberian political dominance for over a century, shaping the nation’s political, social, and economic landscape until its abrupt fall.