By Our Reporter
Part 2 of the well-publicized June 7 protest is in the making, as the Council of Patriots (COP) is said to be preparing for another mass protest action during the forthcoming Christmas and New Year seasons, but this time they want President George Manneh Weah to step down.
“We the Council of Patriots having met, deliberated and weighed all of our options under the law do hereby announce and declare a nationwide, nonstop peaceful protest to demand the unconditional resignation of President George M. Weah as President of Liberia,” the COP says in a statement dated September 24, 2019.
The group did not say exactly how they will get President Weah to leave office, but says their open-ended street protest will begin on December 30, 2019 “and continue unabated until President Weah steps down.”
The Liberian leader and CDC Standard Bearer took office on January 22, 2018 with a six-year constitutional mandate, but the question is will he bow down to pressure from the street protesters to quit his post, which he has only been holding for less than two years.
Article 62 of the Liberian Constitution says: “The President and the Vice-President may be removed from office by impeachment for treason, bribery and other felonies, violation of the Constitution or gross misconduct.”
But at the same time, Article 1 of the constitution also says: “All power is inherent in the people. All free governments are instituted by their authority and for their benefit and they have the right to alter and reform the same when their safety and happiness so require. In order to ensure democratic government which responds to the wishes of the governed, the people shall have the right at such period, and in such manner as provided for under this Constitution, to cause their public servants to leave office and to fill vacancies by regular elections and appointments.”
COP, which include some leading opposition politicians and vocal radio talk show host, Mr. Henry Costa said they have waited for three months “in vain and witnessing a badly worsening economy attended by increasing hardship and poverty”, but President Weah has failed to address their concerns raised in their June 12, 2019 petition presented to his office.
But some critics of the COP, including one of its defecting organization, the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL), have said if the COP is serious for President Weah to quit, it should go through opposition Lawmakers in the House of Representatives to submit an impeachment Bill in plenary.