After Senator Sando Johnson rejection of the COP’s planned Weah step down protest slated for December, the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) has expressed its rejection of the campaign.
The ANC of former Presidential candidate Alexander Cummings is one of the founders of the Council of Patriots (COP) group headed by vocal radio talk show host Henry Costa and was actively engaged in the June 7, 2019 mass peaceful protest in Monrovia.
But now the ANC is distancing itself for the upcoming December protests being planned by the COP to demand the resignation of Liberian President George Manneh Weah.
The COP has seen disintegration in its ranks following the June 7 protest with the pulling out of influential Margibi County Senator Oscar Cooper, the group of Ambassador Rufus Neufville and the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL).
In a press release over the weekend and signed by its Secretary General, Alloysius Toe, the ANC says it “encourages the rights of citizens to peacefully protest and express their grievances to government for redress. However, the ANC does not endorse and will not support the “Weah Step Down” Campaign on December 30, 2019.”
According to the ANC, the “Weah Step Down” protest, intended to use mass pressure for the sole purpose of effecting regime change and seeking the removal of a constitutionally elected president, is unconstitutional, undemocratic, and repugnant to Liberia’s desire for sustainable peace and democracy through competitive electoral politics. It was wrong then with the “Ellen Step Down” Campaign and it is wrong now.
The ANC is aware that the current economic hardship, massive unemployment, open theft of public resources by government officials, abuse of state power and the destruction of Liberia’s economy by the incompetent Weah’s administration are necessary and sufficient reasons for peaceful mass protest. We are also very concerned about the fast declining state of our country, and agree that Liberians have legitimate reasons to protest and demand reform in governance. This is why we supported the June 7TH protest and will support any peaceful protest that demands economic and political reforms.
We will support any effort that will rouse the hopes of Liberians, and mobilize the collective outrage of our people to demand better paying jobs, schools and clinics, asset declaration by the president, reduction in official salary, better living conditions, action against corruption, accountability and responsiveness, the ANC release said.
It concluded: “We shall continue to support peaceful protests as we deem necessary, just as we supported the June 7 Protest organized by the Council of Patriot group when we believed it was in the interest of the people. The ANC wishes to re-emphasize its commitment to the CPP and will continue to work with the CPP and other democratic forces in protecting the rights of the Liberian people.”