PHOTO: This now shows he has a political base?
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
A cross-section of opinion and traditional leaders of ethnic Grebos from four southeastern Liberia have endorsed and declared support for the 2023 presidential bid of the new opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) leader Alexander Cummings.
Grebo is one of Liberia’s 16 ethnic groups hailing from Maryland County, where Cummings himself originates from.
Also endorsing Cumming for President are the Grebo people from Sinoe, River gee, Grand Kru and Maryland Counties.
CPP leader Alex Cummings
Cummings, who is Standard Bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), is former executive of Coca Cola Africa who has repeatedly said that the only government post he wants is President of Liberia.
On why they think Cummings is the right man for the job, the Grebo people who petitioned him said they are endorsing Alexander Cummings because they did not benefit from the George Weah presidency over the last five years.
President Weah and his ruling CDC government took office on January 22, 2-218 after winning the October 2017 presidential election with a huge majority on the “pro-poor agenda” mantra.
A Liberian Christian cleric, Reverend Peter Gbarbo read and presented statement to the Cummings Team. ‘It was organized by the d by the Grebo United for Cummings and held at the Clara Town Soccer Pitch in the Doe Community on the Bushrod near Monrovia at the weekend.
“We will like to tell the Liberian people and assure you that we are ever ready, resolved and prepared to go the extra mile in working with you until you achieve this worthy cause.”
He added: “this will enable you to redeem and set our nation on a new pedestal of genuine economic growth, development and prosperity.”
“As Grebo people, the statement went on “both in Montserrat County and from counties in the southeast, we do hereby pledge our commitment and would like to seize this glorious opportunity to declare our ardent, unflinching and unbending support and hereby endorse you for the 2023 presidential elections.”
“We are standing with you not only because you are a son of the Grebo Tribe, but because you are a manager, an administrator, and a leader who is well able, qualified and up to the task to administer the affairs of our beloved country, Liberia.”
“Going forward,” Reverend Gbarbo vowed, “we are determined and highly motivated here after, to embark on a tour of the four counties to further mobilize our compatriots to consolidate our resolve in making you the next President of Liberia.”
Concluding, the Liberian cleric said: “we intend to engage to engage these tours beginning specifically with the Grebo people in Sinoe, Grand Kru, Maryland and Rivergee Counties.”
In his acceptance speech, the CPP leader Alexander Cummings said, the gathering of his kinsmen has provided an answer to the question of his political base.
Ever since he came on the national political stage 6-7 years ago, Cummings critics have claimed that he lacked any political base,
The CPP standard bearer assured the Grebo People that he will never let them down as was done by some politicians who they have been giving their support to over the years.
Cummings thanked the people for demonstrating their desires to support their own son and kinsman for the highest civil office in the land.
The program was interspersed by speeches expressing support from various groups of Grebo people from the southeastern region in Liberia. Bryant Quayee spoke on behalf Grebo people in Sinoe County, while Wellehtu Seah spoke on behalf of the Grebos from Grand Kru County,
Ben Milton Jowah delivered a statement on behalf of the Rivergee County while former Aide De Camp to former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, while General Jeremiah Hinneh spoke on behalf Grebos of Maryland County.
Statements of support also came from Rivergee County Senator, Jonathan Sogbie, George Wisner, Eric Giko and Kai Jerbo.
The program was graced by large crowd of people from Sinoe , Grand Kru, Rivergee and Maryland Counties residing in Monrovia and its environs.