Set To Start National Convention Monday, February 27 In Bomi County
PHOTO: Gabriel Salee, LRP Chairman
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
The Liberia Restoration Party (LRP) formerly of Ambassador McDella Copper has vowed to turn Liberia into a “Christian State” if it wins state power in the forthcoming October 10 presidential and legislative elections.
Speaking with Journalists at the end of a citizen engagement meeting in Bong Mines, Bong County recently, the national chairman of the party, Gabriel Salee said the LRP wants to establish a Country that has the fear of God and has reference to the Almighty God, instead of working under a government that is declaring a country a circular state where everyone can just do what they want to do; and every God can be knowledge within the republic adding that the party believes that it is a wrong approach to take.
Article 14 of Liberia’s 1986 Constitution says there should be no state religion.
“Article 14 All persons shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment thereof except as may be required by law to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. All persons who, in the practice of their religion, conduct themselves peaceably, not obstructing others and conforming to the standards set out herein, shall be entitled to the protection of the law. No religious denomination or sect shall have any exclusive privilege or preference over any other, but all shall be treated alike; and no religious tests shall be required for any civil or military office or for the exercise of any civil right. Consistent with the principle of separation of religion and state, the Republic shall establish no state religion.”
According to him, the Party also believes that this is the season that it wants to return the country to God and it is the agenda and message of the Liberia Restoration Party.
Going forward, the Liberia Restoration Party national chairman maintained that Liberia has divorced the essence of Christian nation by declaring the country as a circular state. He disclosed that the party wants to bring the country to a position where people who serve in government will have reference in God.
“Everyone believes that Liberia is a Christian nation and that is truth, but that Liberia has divorced the essence of Christian nation by declaring the country as a circular state, there is a disconnect.
You cannot say Liberia is a Godless state then you also claim Liberia is a circular state so under the current status of Liberia, we are not a Christian nation we are a circular state” he argued.
He narrated that the status of Liberia as a circular state is affecting Liberian because according to him, the foundational component of the country relaxes in the faith that it is established on adding that its citizens cannot get in the middle of the gain and decide that they can no longer sustain themselves based on the faith they declared from the initial stage.
Mr. Salee: “Initially the country was a Unitarian state, a Unitarian government is a government that is guided by the church as the order of the day, now it’s a circular state, it is exposed that no one has complete control over the governance system but every other religion, every other god, believe system can have its way into our country and we believe that our country is exposed and there must be a guiding factor of the country if we have to move forward.
Those days when you were growing up, you grew up in having devotion, going to school and having devotion, but now you don’t have this opportunity and so everyone now have their own way of life; they conduct themselves at every level whatever way they believe and it should not be that way”.
Mr. Salee intoned that a nation should have a basic, a faith of conduct and principle that it must rely on as a nation and its foundation should be built on these principles. “Which principle is Liberia build on now, which religious principle is your country built on right now?” he asked.
When asked if other religions will not see the returning of the country to a Christian state as a form of marginalization, the LRP’s chairman asserted that from 1847 to 1986 the country was a unitary state and there existed Muslim, Christian and other religions and according to him, no one had problem with the country being a Christian state until after former William Richard Tolbert was overthrown where former President Samuel Kayon Doe decided to change the constitution and turn the country to a circular state.
He further averred that since the country was declared as a circular state, it has not benefited anything but from the time of its declaration as a circular state up to now it continues to experience terrible blood share stating that more than 250,000 people got killed with a prolong disaster and inconsistency of governance and as such the country has to go back to where it was (Christian state).
He stated that the party believes the nation has undermined what God brought it forth for and it should go back to its root.
In a related development, the Party is expected to conduct its national convention in Tubmanburg, Bomi County beginning February 27, 2023 aimed at electing new Standard Bearer and officials that will take the LRP to the 2023 general elections and beyond.
The party’s national chairman disclosed that the convention which will last for four days will see the election of Standard Bearer, Vice Standard Bearer, National Chairman, National Secretary General, Vice Chair for Political and Legislative Affairs, Vice Chair for Legal Affairs, Vice Chair for Recruitment and Mobilization, Vice Chair for Gender Relations, Vice Chair for Operations and Vice Chair for Media and Public Relations among others.
Mr. Salee revealed that there are candidates who have applied for various positions and have met the requirements of the party indicating that they will participate in the pending elections during the convention in Bomi County, failed to single out the names of those vying for the different positions.
He said those individuals have declared their loyalty and commitment to the party and they are prepared to go to this quest to determine their rights to lead Liberia pointing out that they will be taken to primary after which they will be declared to the Liberian people.
Chairman Salee said the Party has invited several dignitaries including the National Elections Commission, the United Nations other Political Parties and Government officials to witness the process.
Meanwhile, Mr. Salee said the party will put out presidential and vice presidential candidates, fifteen senatorial candidates and seventy-three representative candidates respectively.