Liberia: ‘Your Votes Will Decide the Future’

The Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander Cummings has told some potential voters in rural Montserrado County that next year’s elections will be a “defining moment” for the country and, therefore, all votes count. 

Cummings, who is running to unseat President George Weah in October 2023, was quick to remind voters that, while the Weah government may be corrupt, it is their votes that can make him a one-term President.

According to him, non-voting would be political suicide and a disservice to Liberia, at a time when the country needs its citizens to tip the balance in 2023 — an election which he believes is pivotal to shaping the future of the country for decades to come.

“It is every eligible Liberian’s duty and responsibility to register and use the power of the vote to change Liberia and express their anger and displeasure against President Weah’s entire corrupt leadership.”

“We have to replace our president because he doesn’t know the job — the job is too big for him,” Cummings said. “So, if we want to change our country, you have to register to vote.”

Cummings, who finished fifth in the last election in 2017 on his first attempt, also used the occasion to promote his vision for Liberia, which he told potential voters includes a society free of corruption, nepotism, and marginalization.

The CPP leader promised that if he ascended to the Presidency, he would form a government in which every person, irrespective of political, tribal, and religious backgrounds will enjoy equal opportunities and rights in keeping with the law. 

“Do not only register and relax, but also ensure that you vote wisely for somebody that is capable of making Liberia better for all, which I promise to do when given the job,” he said.

Cummings has built his 2023 campaign on change, positioning himself as the sole candidate who “can rescue Liberia” from Weah's government, which he has long criticized as a failure.

The former Coca-Cola Company Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice-President, whose reign led to strong growth in Coca-Cola’s Africa business, has also used his business background to entice potential voters to his campaign, positioning himself as the most knowledgeable candidate who understands Liberia's economic problems.

The Liberian politician's tours in rural Montserrado saw him reaching out to potential voters in Harrisburg, Caryburgs, Todee, and Bentol. And during the visit, he promised rural voters, many of whom lack access to basic essential social services, including healthcare, that his goods would change the narrative for them while creating opportunities for employment and empowerment.

Cummings’ promise came after rural voters sought clarifications and explanations on how he intended to lead the government while improving education, and health care services, fostering political unity and ending corruption.

“So, I promise when God blessed us and we win this election, we will change Liberia for the benefit of all,” he stated. “I want to be president so that we will stop the stealing in our country, stop the suffering, and stop the wickedness this government has done to our people by reducing their salaries and not paying them on time, and the suffering is just increasing.”

Meanwhile, Cummings, whose tour ended with an endorsement in Harrisburg, vowed that his presidency will uphold every tenet of good governance, as he will act differently, and not engage in acts of corruption or repeat past official misconduct, “that has made the life of the Liberian people miserable and subjected them to extreme poverty and suffering.”