By Bill W. Cooper
Barely 24hrs following pronouncement of the endorsement of President George Weah’s re-election bid by the All Liberian Party (ALP), there seems to be a serious internal wrangling within the party amongst hierarchy for the decision.
The ALP was founded by businessman turned politician, Benoni Urey, prior to the 2017 Presidential and Representative Elections, with the aim of contesting for the country’s Presidency.
Last weekend, political popular talk-show host, Henry Pedro Costa, upon his return into the country, announced that the ALP was poised to declare support for the Liberian leader’s re-election during the November 14 run-off election.
However, as in the case of the People’s Liberation Party of the late Daniel Cassell and the Liberia People’s Democratic Party of now senator-elect Alex Tyler that pronouncement has since been rejected by the National Executive Committee of the party, describing the endorsement as fake, unconstitutional, and totally unpopular.
Incumbent President George Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) is expected to battle former Vice President, Joseph Boakai, of the Unity Party (UP), for the country’s Presidency, after both candidates failed to obtain outright majority of the total votes cast (50 percent plus one) during the October 10 Polls.
The ALP NEC, comprising of more than 2/3 of the Executive Committee and National Leadership, further indicated that the yesterday, October 29, 2023 planned endorsement program of the CDC by a ‘clique’ of partisans is unpatriotic and lacks party discipline.
“We wish to inform the partisans and the general public that the majority membership of the Executive Committee does not approve the planned endorsement slated for Sunday, October 29, 2023 at the National Headquarters of the ALP, and we will therefore not participate in the program,” the ALP, in a release, stated.
The ALP release was issued Saturday, October 28, 2023, and signed by its Asst. Secretary General for Political Affairs/Governance, Elijah Sackie, and Approved by its National Chairman.
The release continued, “The constitution of the ALP Article 5.4.1 section (b) gives the National Executive Committee the authority to assume the powers of the National Convention for the smooth running of the party, to formulate and adopt general policies, programs, projects, and procedures, pursuant to the overall governance of the party, in the recess of the National Convention.”
“Therefore, decision such as collaboration or endorsement is normally made by 2/3 majority of the EC members and is transmitted into a resolution signed by members who made the decision,” said the team in their release.
Meanwhile, the party lamented that it is regrettable and unfortunate that since September 22, 2023, when the EC of the ALP vehemently voted against the decision with the CDC in the first round, it (EC) has not reconvened to reverse its decision not to support CDC.
“The decision therefore to endorse President George M. Weah by a clique of the party falls short of the Executive Committee’s approval, and therefore renders said decision illegal, and totally against the will and aspirations of the leadership and membership of the All Liberian Party nationwide.
“We are pleased to state that the majority of the National Leadership of the ALP, including both statutory and non-statutory members (not the EC), county leaders, among others, have acted in accordance with the constitution of the Party by affixing their signatures to an official resolution, signed and notarized (as required by law) to support and endorse Amb. Joseph N. Boakai and the Rescue Mission.
“This Resolution has officially been transmitted to the Political Leader, Benoni W. Urey, of the National Leadership of the party, regarding the only valid and legitimate decision of the All Liberian Party’s participation the runoff,” the release added.
“We urge all of our partisans to remain patient and engage with the majority of the leadership, as we work together for a means to reach an improved end in our count,” it maintained.
