By Bill W. Cooper
The political leader of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander Cummings, says for things to change in Liberia, the citizens must not just change ruling parties, they must change ruling principles.
He called on Liberians to stop treating the country like it is an elephant meat that governments take terms to cut their shares.
He maintained, “The same is true that a divisive leader cannot unite a nation just as a weak and indecisive person who will compromise principles only to win must not be allowed to lead us.”
“We will not get out of our difficulty by compromising values and looking for easy wins and shortcuts. Doing the same things over and over will only give us the same bad results!” the CPP leader reiterated.
Cummings stressed, “In life, when we try to take short cuts to success, compromise our values, and believe we do not need to work hard and honestly for what we want; too often, we will not get the success we seek or the things we want, and when we let ourselves fall for everything, it means we actually stand for nothing. Leaders must stand for something!”
“Like everyone else, I want to win. But I prefer to lose while fighting for Real Change than to win only to keep things as they corruptly and wickedly are, if not make it worse and I promise everyone Liberian today, that I will lead us, with your help and support, to stop this nonsense,” he expressed.
However, the CPP’s political leader continues to indirectly throw “jabs” at political leaders especially the Unity Party (UP) standard bearer, Joseph Boakai over who is more experienced as a candidate to lead Liberia and its people.
Mr. Cummings, in a figurative expression said, “When hunger is taking over a village, to give the only cutlass to one’s “grandfather” and the oldest man in the village, to go make the farm, because he has “experience” in making farms, is to agree to let the village people die from starvation.”
However, some political pundits believe that this statement emanating from the Alternative National Congress (ANC) political leader and founder suggest that he does not hold the view that Ambassador Boakai is more experienced and well prepared than him to govern Liberia.
In several of his interviews, Ambassador Joseph Boakai who is also Liberia’s former Vice President has always bragged about being the man with the most public service experience, qualification and technical knowhow to lead Liberia.
“I have served this country for so many years especially so in government from the Agriculture sector to becoming Vice President. So, what this country needs right now to move forward is someone who has the experience, understanding about governance and that person is me,” Boakai believes.
But addressing a news conference yesterday, May 1, 2023 at his CPP headquarters in Monrovia, Cummings cautioned Liberians to do better; something he said can only be achieved if they make tough choices and hard decisions in the October 10, 2023 polls.
Commenting on claims of not having government experience, Mr. Cummings stated, “I am often criticized for not having “government experience.” Well, if government experience is to steal from the people and neglect them to suffer than thank God I don’t have “government experience.”
According to him, his experience is one of leadership in fixing things as well as experience in fixing systems so things work better for all to enjoy, and not in trying to benefit from corrupt and broken down system.
“My experience is one of leadership in standing for principles and the values of hard work, integrity and honesty, and in keeping promises I make. My experience is one of leadership in doing the right things the right way, and not sacrificing my values and principles just to win,” he emphasized.
