‘Don't Panic, Weah will be Defeated," Says Cummings

The Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander Cummings, has told Liberians not to panic and assured that with or without opposition unity, George Weah will be defeated and made one-term president of Liberia comes October 10.

Cummings said, when Weah was at his peak of popularity as the world soccer best, backed by a then strong coalition of three political parties, he obtained only 38 percent of votes. Now that Liberians are economically worse off than five years ago and they know he has a very bad leadership record, it's a fallacy to believe that he can win a first-round victory as is being falsely predicted by pro-government CDC supporters.

The CPP Standard Bearer said it is a political gimmick with hidden agenda by the CDC to justify rigging the pending elections, but vowed that any attempt to force Weah upon Liberians will be vehemently objected by the opposition. 

Cummings said with two formidable opposition candidates in the Presidential race, anyone, either Cummings or Joseph Boakai will defeat President Weah in a runoff election due to his diminishing popularity and indefensible bad record of failed promises and policies in the five-plus years of misrule.

The CPP Standard Bearer said, there are multiple ways the opposition can unite, including joining ranks to prevent Mr. Weah from stealing the elections and supporting the opposition candidate in the runoff against him.

Cummings made the assertions, during an interview with Red Power radio, and tour of several communities in Monrovia and its suburbs on Tuesday, March 6.

He said the cardinal reason for  establishing the CPP by the original four political parties, was to foster opposition unity, but unfortunately, the All Liberian Party and the Unity Party broke away under false pretense with bogus criminal charges against him for alleged alterations of the CPP framework document. 

Cummings said after five months of court trials without any evidence of alterations to the CPP framework document, the bogus charges were dropped, leaving the CPP fractured. However, Cummings confirmed that serious discussions are ongoing amongst several other political party leaders wishing to join the CPP, while at the same time, it will accept readmission of the two breakaway parties on conditions that they will subscribe to the democratic principles and rules of choosing a Standard Bearer.

He said opposition unity cannot and must not be achieved through coercion of one group to submit,  outside the democratic process, or with the entitlement mentality of leadership.

The CPP Standard Bearer’s tour on March 6, took him to the Nelson Mandela Intellectual center at Redhill, Virginia, and the Stockton Creek Intellectual Center,  Caldwell Road where he interacted with young people, and was quizzed on the CPP programs and policies on economic recovery, job creation, economic empowerment of Liberian businesses, restoration of basic social services including electricity, pipe-borne water, improved health care service, and education as well as opposition strategies to defeat President Weah comes October 10.

Cummings, accompanied by CPP stalwarts, also visited the Duala Market on Bushrod Island, and several plank dealing localities, urging Liberians to register and vote in the pending general and presidential elections slated for October 10.

He also visited the Caldwell Road Wood Field, near the Stockton Creek Bridge, the KKK Wood Field, around the SKD Sports Complex area,  the Independent United Brothers Wood Field, Duport Road, and the Zubah Town Plank Field.

Plank dealers are a chain network of workers including hundreds of pit sawers, forest workers and owners and constitute sizable portions of Liberia's population. 

Cummings urged Liberians to muster the courage, to register and vote out the inept, corrupt and incompetent leadership of President George Weah. 

The CPP Standard Bearer said he is the best candidate with the requisite credentials to transform and grow the country's economy, attract foreign direct investments, and accelerate private sector development to create the much needed jobs for Liberians. 

He promised to make the difference in leadership and will not engage in any acts of corruption or tolerate acts of corruption on the part of any public officials.

Cummings said Liberia is blessed with abundant natural resources, that all Liberians can benefit and enjoy their fair share according to their capacity and hard work. He said upon his election as President, within the first seven months, Liberians will begin to experience a new change in their living conditions and respective communities.

The visits are part of ongoing initiatives by the CPP Standard Bearer to mobilize Liberians to register in the upcoming Voters Registration exercise due to kick off March 20.

Meanwhile, Cummings has announced a plan to create a US$10 million small and medium enterprises (SME) Fund to support businesses owned by Liberian women, upon his election as President of Liberia. 

Cummings said he would also strive to increase women participation in government through elected and appointed office from 30 percent gender parity to achieve 40-50 percent gender inclusion in appointed government positions. 

These were contained in a special statement issued by the CPP Standard Bearer to mark the observance of International Women Day today, March 8.

The world celebrates International Women's Day today under the theme, "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.”

The CPP Standard Bearer congratulated women worldwide, especially Liberian women who, he said, are too often deprived and denied. He lauded Liberian Women as being amongst the bravest, most caring, and hardest working in the world.

"In spite of having our first female president, and other women who have served our country admirably at home and abroad, I must say that the longing for equal rights and gender equality is yet to be achieved for Liberian women," Cummings said.

He added, "unnecessary structural barriers and unfair hurdles remain in the pathway of the advancement of women and girls in Liberia, while basic rights and protections continue to be denied to many women."  

The CPP Standard Bearer said no society can achieve its fullest potential without the advancement of its women, noting that to maximize Liberia's potential, "we must equally provide opportunities for our women and girls."

He was emphatic in stating “We lose the advancement of our humanity when we act to hinder rather than enable the progress of women,” noting that former U.S Secretary Hilary Clinton was right when she said, “women rights are human rights”.

Cummings said issues affecting women are not just women issues but rather, human rights issues, which must be addressed with the utmost urgency.

Cummings said a CPP government will strive to end impunity for Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and all forms of violence against women, as well as inequality and discrimination, especially in workplaces. 

He said a CPP Government will ensure speedy prosecution of perpetrators of violence, strengthen referral pathway services, provide psychosocial services for survivors and safe homes for victims. 

Cummings added that regional Sexual Offenses Courts (Criminal Court E) will be established to ensure access to justice nationwide, to avoid overburdening of the circuit courts or 'Criminal Court E' in Monrovia.

Cummings said the observance of International Women’s Day, every year, is a reminder that our common gender is humanity, urging Liberians to recommit to treating each other with decency and respect. "We must stand together against all forms of inequality and injustice to our humanity. For too long we have minimized the fact that women are still largely oppressed and treated unequally in a highly patriarchal society, Cummings said.

He called for an end to inequality and urged Liberians to stand with every woman fighting for her dignity, rights, and freedom.