PHOTO: Pres. Weah speaking at the CDC HQ
By Augustine Octavius,augustineoctavius@gmail.com
Disunity appears to be sinking into the ruling three-party Coalition for Democratic(CDC) of President George Weah, as his Congress for Democratic Change marked its 17th anniversary over the weekend, with the conspicuous absence of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and the leader of the third coalition partner.
Amid the apparent friction, President Weah said he has observed that the Liberian people have resolved for him to govern the country until 2030, in order to finish the work he started in 2018.
According to him, for Liberians to be successful in the hope for change, there is a need for supporters and Liberians from across the country to demonstrate this through the ballot box.
President Weah was speaking over the weekend at a program marking the 17th anniversary of the Congress for Democratic Change held in the Congo Town suburb of Monrovia.
He and his Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government came to power in January 2018, after his overwhelming victory against the former ruling Unity Party of ex-Vice President Joseph Boakai.
As the 2023 polls nears, the opposition parties have vowed to defeat Weah and his CDC at the ballot box and make him a one-term president.
But the CDC Standard Bearer has called on other Liberians still sitting on the fence to declare their membership of the CDC because it is better late than never.
The Liberian leader pointed out that with the levels of support from a cross section of the Liberian society, he is optimistic that he will win fairly, democratically and without any manipulations.
President Weah commended all those who have served as leaders of the CDC over the years and cautioned them to return to the party they have worked for, because the issues for which the party was established do not exist anymore.
According to political observers, the turn out seems to be a test for the popularity of the CDC leader whose popularity has been retrogressing due to the high report of corruption, prevailing economic hardship, growing insecurity, mysterious disappearances and deaths
Interestingly, the Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor, standard bearer of the National Patriotic Party and former Speaker Alex Tyler, the leader of the Liberia People’s Democratic Party were conspicuously absent at the program marking 17th anniversary of the CDC.
Weah historicizes formation of his CDC
He used the occasion to give a brief history on how the CDC was established and how he recruited Finance and Development Minister , Samuel Tweh as its first Diaspora Chairman in the United States and current National Chairman, Mulbah Morku in Ghana.
Ambassador expressed optimism in the 2023 presidential election judging from the supports he has received from six opposition political parties.
He named the political parties as the United People’s Party, the Union of Liberian Democrats and the Redemption Democratic Congress.
Others are Change Democratic Action, the Liberia Transformation Party and the Liberia National Union.
During the program, the Liberia Marketing Association through its President, Elizabeth Sambolai thanked President Weah for the many market buildings he has constructed for the marketers.
The LMA President on behalf of the marketers declared support for the second term of the CDC standard bearer in the 2023 presidential elections.
Interestingly, an organization named and styled as the National Islamist Organization, declared support for President Weah’s second term bid , a statement which observers see as a violation of the constitution of the National Muslim Council of Liberia which forbids for the faith to be politically neutral .
The Vice Chairman of the organization Waritary Karmoh Jarbel said they decided to declare support for the CDC standard bearer, because of his many development initiatives in the country
Earlier, five opposition members at the national legislature dramatically appeared after they were introduced by House Speaker, Bhofa Chambers and Senate Pro Temp, Albert Chea at the program.
Following their introduction, the five opposition member of the legislature were given two minutes each during which they declared their membership of the Congress for Democratic Change and pledged their support for the second term bid of President George Weah in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections in the country,
Weah meets top CDC stalwarts in jubilant mood
The lawmakers were Representatives Gwaikolo Johnson, Nimba County; P. Mike Jurry, Maryland County ; and Mambu Sonni, Grand Cape County.
Others were Senators Gbegbo Brown, Maryland County; and Semion Taylor, Grand Cape Mounty.
Speaking when he declared his membership of the CDC, Nimba County Representative, Gwaikolo Johnson, said: “ we have accepted the invitation to come and join the CDC.”
“We have come to identify with the efforts of this party in the way and manner that we will help to lift the party up so that they will have the strength to serve our people,” he said; adding: “we have come to work together purposely to work for the common good of our people.”
For his part, Representative P. Mark Jurry, a former member of the Liberty Party, pointed out that he decided to join the CDC because he does not see any future in the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP)
“There is no need to waste my time in the CPP because the collaboration is disintegrating as things have fallen apart because the leaders are after personal interest.
As for the Grand Cape Mount County Representative, Mambu Sonii, the decision to declare membership of the CDC and his support for the second time bid of President Weah is based on popular demand from his people.
According to him, the people are of the opinion that their lawmaker should join the CDC in to motivate their leader to extend the development in some part Grand Cape Mount County which did not experience any road pavement project during the previous government.
Meanwhile, Maryland County Senator Gbagbo Brown indicated that the Maryland Legislative Caucus has resolved for all of them to join the CDC.
He said this is based on the mandate of the people of Maryland County in order to promote development, peace and peaceful coexistence among in them
Also declaring his membership of the CDC and support for the re-election bid of President Weah was Grand Cape Mount County Senator Semion Taylor, who was elected on the ticket of the Collaborating Political Parties.
He assured President Weah that he vigorously campaign for the re-election of the CDC standard bearer in 2023.
The program was graced by a large number of people including members of the diplomatic corps, officials of the government including opposition lawmaker Bomi County Senator, Morris Saytumah among many others