Cummings: “CPP Framework Being Violated”

(L-r) Alexander B. Cummings, Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, and Benoni W. Urey.

Published at: 09/10/2021 - 20:02 / Updated at: 09/10/2021 - 20:07

Article by Robin Dopoe

Rejects the extension of Sen. Lawrence’s term

The political leader of the Alternative National Congress, Alexander B. Cummings, has rejected the extension of the tenure of Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence as chair of the Collaborating Political Parties.

Sen. Lawrence, whose tenure as CPP chair expires on October 1, 2021, was granted an extension by the four political leaders of the CPP, including ANC political leader Alexander Cummings at a meeting at a resort in Monrovia. The others were Benoni Urey of the All Liberia Party and Former Vice President Joseph Boakai of the former ruling Unity Party.

However, Cummings, who had agreed to the extension a day earlier, wrote Sen. Karnga-Lawrence, rejecting her stay at the helm of the CPP beyond October 1, to avoid setting a dangerous precedent.

“As important as it is for the sense of togetherness we always strive to publicly inspire, we forget that a meeting of the four political leaders is not a forum contemplated by the framework agreement for decision-making in the CPP,” Cummings wrote. “In fact, specific roles are defined, and nowhere in the Agreement are the four Political Leaders constituted as an organ of the CPP, or an agency for decision-making and its enforcement. The Framework states the decision-making bodies are the National Assembly, National Advisory Council (which we sit on), and the National Executive Committee.”

At the end of Sen. Karnga-Lawrence’s term, the rotating chairman position should have been handed over to the former Vice President and his party. However, her term was extended by an additional one month in steering the affairs of the CPP.

Section 9.3.3 of the CPP Framework Agreement calls for a specified eight-month rotational period of chairmanship, and accordingly, bans repeated chairmanship until the full round of constituent parties have all had a chance to serve.

The framework states: “The National Council shall have a rotational Political Leadership of eight months to be occupied by the Highest Ranking official of a constituent political party of the CPP. No chairmanship of the CPP shall be repeated until each of the constituent political parties shall have assumed and served one eight-month term.”

But an ally of former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai, in the person of Urey, requested that the Senator’s tenure be extended since Mr. Boakai will be contesting for the CPP standard-bearer position. Thus, he advised, it would be prudent that an objective person leads the consensus process for the search of the CPP’s political leader position.

Urey’s request, which Cummings had earlier agreed to and approved, according to him (Cummings), was inspired by their cordial and friendly meeting that day, which led to the announcement of the “decisions, without the knowledge or consent of our decision-making bodies.” But Cummings said he realized later that said decision was in violation of their own rule, Section 9.3.3.

According to him, if the CPP leaders knowingly allow for the enforcement of such “decisions”, which were irregularly and illegally made, is to knowingly violate the Framework Agreement that set a dangerous precedent, which “none of us should accept or permit to happen.”

“Where our decision is not a violation of the Framework, although not binding, the EC may endorse and validate. But where our decision is a clear violation of the Framework, we must self-correct. Importantly also, at the highest levels of democratic leadership of our various parties, it falls upon us to show, as often as we can, that we will remain committed to the CPP Framework Agreement, just as a CPP leadership of our country should remain committed to enforcing the laws of our land without fear or favor,” Cummings added.

But, Urey defends the decision to extend Sen. Karnga-Lawrence’s term to steer the affairs of the CPP for one month, since it met the approval of the four political leaders in their recent executive meeting.

Cummings' letter added that, upon research and reflection, he felt compelled to also draw his colleagues’ attention to “our decisions” of [September 6] for self-correction, knowing that, “Political Leaders are not the Parties, and the Parties are more than us, their political leaders.”

“The meeting of the four Political Leaders to decide to unilaterally extend {your} term was a clear violation of the Framework. This means that effective October 1, 2021, as specifically provided in the Framework Agreement, the CPP should and will be led by Amb. Boakai and the Unity Party for a period of eight months ensuing,” Cummings said.

‘Reject Urey’s argument ’

Meanwhile, Cummings noted that, while he understands the need for an objective person to lead on consensus as proposed by his colleague, Urey, it is apparently also covered under the Framework.

He argued that Section 11.4.2 of the Agreement stated that, if consensus is not reached by September 30, 2021, the CPP Chair, in consultation with the National Advisory Committee (NAC), shall ensure Final Consensus Dialogues take place within the Month of November 2021, which shall be chaired by a neutral stakeholder.

“Based on the above, the CPP National Executive Committee, which is the body charged with leading the consensus process, has to be given the opportunity to complete its mandate. Therefore, selecting a neutral stakeholder to chair the Final Consensus Dialogues at this time, and without the participation of the NEC or NAC, is wrong and violates the Framework Agreement.”

Meanwhile, Cummings noted that while he understands the need for an objective person to lead on consensus as proposed by Mr. Urey, the decision-making power is also covered under the Framework.

Tags