The three constituent political parties that constitute the Coalition for Democratic Change have agreed and reaffirmed their commitments to work together to ensure the re-election of the Weah-led government in 2023 presidential and legislative.
The reaffirmation comes in the wake of public speculation about internal disagreement within the CDC over who will contest as head of 2023.
The agreement and reaffirmation of the Liberia People’s Democratic Party, the National Patriotic Party, and the Congress for Democratic Change was made known in a document dated September 8, 2022, and signed by the chairmen and political leaders of the three political parties.
President George Weah and CDC National Chairman, Mulbah Morlu signed on behalf of the Congress for Democratic Change, the political leader of the NPP, Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor and National Chairman, Senator James Banny, signed for the NPP; and former Speaker Alex Tyler, the political leader of the LPDL and its National Chairman, Moses Kollie penned the agreement on behalf of the LPDP.
The document entitled: “Reaffirmation of Commitment to Work Together in The Ensuing 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections,” said they recognized the tremendous development gains of the CDC-led government, which remains committed to fulfilling the solemn promises that inspired into existence of the coalition.
Addressing a press conference during the weekend, CDC National Chairman, Mulbah Morlu, disclosed that members of the national executive committees of the three political parties that formed the Coalition for Democratic Change are expected to converge in Gbarnga, Bong County for a two-day retreat.
According to Chairman Morlu, the retreat is expected to discuss the strategy for the petitioning of President Weah to contest for the second term and to prepare various committees of the coalition for the petitioning ceremony of President George Weah on December 17, 2022.
But, barely one day following the signing of this agreement, the national youth wing and the coordinator council of the Liberia People’s Democratic Party (LPDP) called on their political leader and the national chairman to immediately withdraw their signatures for the reaffirmation of commitment to work together in the ensuing 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
Addressing a press conference Sunday, September 11, 2022, the spokesman of the national youth wing and the coordinator council, Prince Flomo, rejected the agreement on the ground that they were only given the mandate to renegotiate the agreement and report back to the national executive committee of the LPDP.
According to Mr. Flomo, since the signing of the agreement in 2016, the LPDP has been marginalized, denied jobs, and relegated from the national decision-making of the coalition. ‘
Mr. Flomo also directed the political leader, former House Speaker Alex Tyler, and the National Chairman, Moses Kollie to recall their signatures because the agreement does not represent the entire national executive committee of the LPDP
Meanwhile, there appears to be disagreements in the leadership of the NPP on the schedule for the holding of the national conventions and holding elections for the new corps of officers.
The long-standing division is between the group loyal to the NPP standard bearer, Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor, and the party’s National Chairman, Senator James Barney.
Recently, the court gave the current leadership 45 days to hold a national convention in order to conduct an election for new corps of officers but, the division seems to stall the entire process.
The last agreement that brought the CDC, NPP, and LPDP was signed in 2016 and since winning the elections, the NPP and the LPDP have both complained of marginalization in the coalition.
Reported by: Augustine Octavius
Contact: +231777463963
Email: augustineoctavius@gmail.com
