Liberia: Bility’s Faction in Liberty Party Endorses Cummings

The faction of the Liberty Party led by its chairman Musa Bility has endorsed Alexander Benedict Cummings for the standard-bearer post of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).

Bility and several dozen others, including Harrison Kanwea, the Liberty Party’s former Vice Standard Bearer during the 2017 election, endorsed Cummings of the Alternative National Congress with the belief that he is capable of living up to expectations outlined in an agreement already in play.

“Mr. Chairman of the ANC, our decision today was not for the ANC and it was not for Mr. Cummings,” Bility said at a special convention of the Liberty Party held in Ganta on December 17 -18. “It was not a response to any pressure nor was it a popularity contest decision. It was a decision for Liberia.  

“We took this decision, knowing that as the Liberty Party, we will stand up and do whatever is good for Liberia through Cummings. Your value systems align with our value systems and they form the basis for our decision,” the Liberian business tycoon added. “We want to thank our respective County Leadership and we want to thank Alexander Cummings for his calmness in showing leadership. LP will do all in its power and in the confines of the structure of the CPP to ensure that ABC becomes the standard-bearer of the CPP.” 

The now divided Liberty Party is in a political partnership with the former ruling Unity Party (UP), the All Liberian Party, and the Alternative National Congress but Joseph Nyumah Boakai of the (UP) believes he is the best-suited candidate to lead the CPP at the polls in the 2023 general and presidential elections.

Recently, its political leaders, Senators Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and Abe Darius Dillon, and some other executive committee members were suspended by the party’s chairman on grounds that they have defaulted in paying their dues to the party for its operations. 

This angered the two Senators and their supporters who, in turn, nullified the convention that brought Bility to the position of chairman but the National Elections Commission (NEC) upheld the constitution that brought Bility to power, leading to Sen. Karnga-Lawrence’s faction writing NEC to question its lack of due process among others.

Bility admonished the newly elected officials and all others supporting his vision to go out and campaign for the success of Cummings at the CPP Primaries, which are expected to take place next year.

In response, Sen. Daniel Naatehn, chairman of the Alternative National Congress said he was happy that a decision to support his political leader, Cummings, was reached at the special convention.

“We will not disappoint you in this decision you have taken. We take this decision as a serious responsibility. This adds value to what the Liberian people are seeking. We thank the people and we want to say that the CPP is headed the right way as 2023 is approaching,” Nathan said.

He added, “With this support, the Liberian people can be assured that the CPP under ABC will ensure that we are freed from the madness we are going through today. Cummings will be very happy on hearing that the decision-makers within the Liberty Party have endorsed his candidacy for the standard bearership.”

For Harrison Karnwea, it was like an accomplishment of a goal that was probably dying down the lanes.

“Today is the defining moment. Like the County chair’s spokesperson earlier said, this is a long overdue convention. This is the appropriate forum to decide the way forward.” 

The former vice standard-bearer of the Liberty Party continued: “Our belief is that those who think otherwise will see the successes as we move on. As guidance for understanding, they will understand that this is a country of law, not just men.”

He added that every political party is a government in waiting and any government or institution that does not obey its rules and regulations or the national laws is never headed in the right direction.

“It is a good thing that every political party, including the ruling party, obeys the laws of the country and understands that it is for the forward march of the country,” he said.

Karnwea concluded that no political leader is a good leader if he or she is not an upholder of the rule of law.

Karnwea is also a former Minister of Internal Affairs, a former managing director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), and a former Superintendent of Nimba County.

Meanwhile, county chairs from River Gee, Montserrado, Maryland, and Grand Bassa did not attend the convention.