PHOTO: Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, M.D., Biomedical Scientist and Political Activist
SACLEPEA, Liberia – As Liberian opposition political parties regroup to form another coalition, the International Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Coalition (NDC), Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan has stressed that, “transparency and honesty are required for the Liberian people to have confidence in any new coalition of opposition political parties that will be formed in the future.”
“The next coalition should put the interest of the people and the country first, and must bring together sincere, patriotic, and honest citizens that will focus on national interest so as to avoid in-fighting for positions,” Dr. Nyan emphasized.
Responding to questions on the Seclapea’s Truth FM 96.9 Evening Show last Friday with Joe Kerkula, Dr. Nyan said, “the Liberian people are justified to be disappointed and having some level of fatigue, mistrust or distrust in the opposition political parties due to the failure of past collaborations.”
In 1997, an alliance of seven parties (ALLIANCE) to contest the general elections against Liberia’s main warlord, Charles Taylor, collapsed due to disagreements on who headed the presidential ticket. Taylor went on to win that race. In the last two odd years, another alliance, the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), also broke apart due to the lack of compromises as to who takes the presidential slot on the ticket.
Speaking in a special interview from his biomedical laboratory via phone, Dr. Nyan said that, “political parties coming into the new union, alliance, or coalition should come in with clear heart, clear mind, and sincerity in the [national interest] of the Liberian people.”
Asked as to whether political parties from the defunct CPP will be welcome in the next coalition, Dr. Nyan responded that, “as social democratic entities, we all of us that are coming together are opened to all democratic-minded political entities and institutions that will support a general agreement which centers around the interest of the people [not on individual interests].”
He furthered that, “the first benchmark that all political parties have to pass is to commit to working in the interest of the Liberian people and the country, thus eliminating future wrangling and problems” of personality clashes.
When quizzed on the issue of who will be the political leader or standard-bearer of the next opposition coalition, the NDC Vice Chairman who is also an infectious disease scientist, stressed that, “when the political union is formed based on the principle of national interest, then it can select the leadership and a standard bearer through consensus or other democratic means and put forth a unified ticket for the 2023 elections” in Liberia.
Dr. Nyan, a biomedical scientist and social advocate, reminded the listeners that “this is the time for Re-messaging and Rebranding in the opposition political block by bringing together individuals who have credible voices and integrity, mindful that there will have to be compromises since we may come from different political persuasions.”
He added that, “the Liberian people know that there are people who can better lead the country, but have not been given the chance to lead.”
The NDC is a social democratic political entity which was founded in 2011. It is comprised of the New Democratic Alternative for Liberia Movement (The NEW DEAL Movement), the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and other social democratic political groupings in Liberia.
Concluding, Dr. Nyan said, “this is a call from me, the NDC, to all democratic-minded citizens and entities to come together and look at the bigger picture to rescue the country from the problems of corruption, economic decline, its damaged international image, weak educational system and bad healthcare.”
In the wake of voter’s apathy and decline in Liberia’s body politics, the NDC, headed by Professor Alaric Tokpa as National Chairman, has repeatedly proposed the formation of a broad-based political union or front that will be anchored on the interest of the Liberian people and putting Liberia First.