IPNews-Monrovia: The Alternative National Congress (ANC) political leader, Alexander Cummings, has vowed that he “will never support a coup” or the “unconstitutional removal of a sitting president.”
Media and political pundits have continued to view the persistent pursuit of mass street protest by a group calling itself Council of Patriots (CoP) as a ploy to destabilize the country and lead the overthrow of the government.
The group is currently mobilizing followers and financial resources in and out of the country to stage what it calls “Weah Step Down” campaign starting on December 30.
The CoP had earlier this year insisted on doing streets protest on June 7 but when halted by the Supreme Court and allowed to “assemble” on the grounds of the National Legislature to present their petition to government, the group raised frivolous issues and did not present the document outlining their grievances.
But in its latest quest to stage another demonstration, the CoP, as required by law, wrote the Justice Ministry on November 11 for approval to protest and be protected by state security, something the ministry said it is not with the legal authority to grant the CoP to undertake an act which is undisputedly in clear violation of the constitution and statutory laws of Liberia.
The Ministry said in a statement Monday that it has “taken cognizance to several public pronouncements emanating from the hierarchy of the CoP, characterizing the assembly as the beginning of a ‘Weah Step Down’ campaign.”
The ministry reminded the CoP that the government is aware that in preparation to execute their planned objectives they have solicited and received funding from individuals both in and out of Liberia, some of whom may not be citizens of Liberia.
The Ministry pointed out that President George Manneh Weah was duly elected President by the people of Liberia and inaugurated on January 22, 2018 for a six-year term, emphasizing that there should not be any removal prior to the expiry of the term or by impeachment as provided under Article 62 of the Liberian Constitution.
It said any other act to unseat the President is “unconstitutional and treasonous.”
Cummings, whose ANC is part of the CoP through the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), has apparently based on the ministry’s position sprang up to distance itself from the pending act of treason.
The ANC leader said his clarification was not done for “fear of arrest” but to state that any allegation about a coup is not true.
“While we expect these lies and chicanery to continue given the people reception of Mr Cummings as the alternative, we will no longer respond to them,” the ANC statement intoned.
