IPNews-Monrovia-Liberia-Saturday 23 February 2019: Four leaders of the opposition block on Thursday, February 21, signed formal collaboration seeking stronger ties and strategies leading to victory in the 2023 presidential and Legislative elections.
Consummating the deal, the four main opposition political parties, which emerged out of the 2017 pr0esidential and representative elections, vowed to uphold the pact to forged a common front to unseating the Coalition of Democratic Change headed by former Senator George Manneh Weah.
Political observers view the collaboration as a major turning point brings the former ruling Unity Party (UP), (runners-up in the last presidential elections), Liberty Party (LP), Alternative National Congress (ANC) and all Liberian Party (ALP).
The MOU which is under the code named: “Statement of Commitment,” is the first step to ensure that Liberia moves forward as a functional democratic state.
The opposition political leaders and standard bearers of their respective parties included Alexander B. Cummings (ANC), former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai (UP), Benoni Urey (ALP) and Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine (LP); pledged to uphold the MOU, putting aside personal political ambitions, and ensure that the will of the Liberian people, especially partisans of the parties, are adhered to.
The MOU now set the ALP’s political leader and standard bearer Benoni Urey as first rotating chairman.
According to the “Statement of Commitment,” the four leaders are convinced that a fair, transparent and competitive democratic process is vital to Liberia’s long-term prosperity and security, recognizing the role of political parties as indispensable partners in national development as well as strengthening Liberia’s young democracy.
The ALP political leader Benoni Urey, termed the signing of the MOU as a historic moment for Liberia.
“This venue for the signing ceremony, Unity Party’s headquarters, signified the first sign of unity by our four political leaders, and all we have to do is put Liberia first, put aside our respective political ambitions in the interest of the Liberian masses,”
“Today, we are signing a document that begins the process of the unity we have been craving for years. We have decided to put Liberia first and to attune our political agenda in the interest of Liberia and the Liberian people, and above our individual and partisan ambitions. We are taking the bold and concrete step which we hope will never be reversed or undone,” The ALP Political leader cautioned his colleagues .
He averred that with the signing of the “Statement of Commitment,” history was now being made-stressing that Liberians will reap the impending fruits.
Benoni Urey: “Today Liberia is once again making history. Over the years we have heard the clarion call from Liberians both at home and abroad and also the call from our international partners of the need for the opposition to unite.”
Urey urged his colleagues to remain committed to the process of collaboration to liberate the Liberian people from ‘bad governance and under-representation’.
“We are soliciting the help of our people by their insistence of our continuation of this collaboration. We as a people must ensure that our political leaders put the interest of the country and people paramount to theirs,” he said.
The rotating chairman of the collaboration stated further that the new arrangement of contained in the “Statement of Commitment,” must be prepared to sacrifice whatever it takes to implant and sustain this democracy and beyond, “to save our common patrimony, Liberia. We all have made mistakes and missteps in the past. This has led us to where we are today. Fortunately, for us as a people, we have been given a new lease on life to correct our dark past,” he said.
As part of the MOU, the four leaders expressed awareness of the strengthen collaboration through collective opinions on matters of national leadership, the rule of law, and accountability, which are pillars of good governance.
“This collaboration is a further affirmation of our commitment to democracy, and it must be seen in a positive light by all Liberians and those looking from the outside,”
“As we set out on the path to a long journey to democracy, we want to attract the parody and rants of apprehensive and hypocritical hordes hurling their aspersions of, to name a few, ‘enemies of the state’, ‘assassins,’” Urey stated .
The ceremony was graced by scores of partisans from the four parties, several lawmakers from the collaborating parties and some independent representatives, and members of the Diplomatic Corps. Some of the lawmakers at the event were senators Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of Grand Bassa County; Steve Zargo of Lofa, Oscar Cooper of Margibi and Sando Dazo Johnson of Bomi County. Representatives were Yekeh Kolubah (Montserrado #10), Hanson Kiazolu (Montserrado #17), David Barshell (Montserrado #3), Lawrence Morris (Montserrado #1), Francis Nyumalin (Lofa #3) and several others.
Also in attendance was renowned human rights activist Samuel K. Woods, Rufus Neufville and the spokesman for the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) Emmanuel Gonquoi.