IPNEWS: Amidst the feasting by the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and the former ruling Unity Party of Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, in recent days into vote-rich Grand Bassa County, in a bid to change the tie ahead of the ensuing general and presidential elections in Liberia, in 2023, the Bassa belt simply looks turning its face to the candidature of the Standard Bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander B. Cummings, as thousands trooped into Rivercess County to get a glance of the ANC political leader over the weekend at an invitation of Rivercess Chapter of the Liberty Party.
IPNEWS gathered from Liberty Party sources that the invitation is to acquaint him with the leadership strructure of both Liberty Party and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) in Rivercess county.
It may be recalled, last week the embattled political leader of the Senator Nyonblee Kanragr Lawrence hosted former vice President Joseph N. Boakai, for three days into a lavaished birthday celebration on the heels an eviction order by the from it’s Congo Town Headquarters by the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice for failure to settled US$150,000 rental fees. The eviction order follows the party’s lawyers’ open confession in court that they were indebted to the McClain Enterprises, owner of the building that the Unity Party’s headquarters.
Civil Law Court Judge, Kennedy Peabody on Tuesday held the party liable, In a summary proceeding. The summary proceeding was intended to recover possession of real estate property from the political party and reduced the owner of the building USD$ 250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand) demand for damages to USD$ 20,000 (Twenty Thousand United States Dollars), before evicting the former the Party from the property.
During the proceeding, defense lawyers interposed no objections to the fees owed the owners, but rejected the US$20,000 (Twenty Thousand Dollars) that the Court awarded the owners of the property for damages with an appeal to the Supreme Court, consistent with Chapter 24, Section 24.1 & 2 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia.
The McClains have maintained that the lease agreement between them and the Unity Party has since expired in 2018, but up to and including July 2020, the Unity Party was owing them an arrear of US180,000 (Thousand United States Dollars) for three years, and has since refused to pay the amount. The debt ran from July1, 2018 to July July 30, 2021 at the rate of US$60,000 per year.
However, in Yarpah Town and Neezuin were a different story of jubilation and political battle cries for the ANC Political leader attended by high level officials of the Liberty Party including its National Treasurer Wadei Powell, Youth Assembly Chair Onesimus James, County Chairman Daniel Gbassagee among others with Chairman Musa Hassan Bility joining the group in Neezuin.
Earlier on Friday night, during a radio interview on Radio Gbehzohn in Buchanan, the ANC flag bearer promised to fight corruption with every fiber in his body from day one of his presidency.
“Don’t call it corruption. That’s a beautiful way to put it. It is stealing – stealing from poor and destitute people. That has to stop and I will lead by example,” Mr. Cummings in a rather strong tone said.
When asked about the performance of the CPP in the just ended by-elections in Bomi , Bong, Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties, Mr. Cummings wasted no time to take ownership of it, blaming it partly to the crisis that has engulfed the CPP.
He was also quick to underscore the need for the CPP to fix her in-house problems and ‘quickly present to the people of Liberia the alternative to Weah’s poor handling of the country’, said Mr. Cummings.
Cummings however pointed out that the ruling party also did not win a single seat which according to him is a clear demonstration and evidence of the anger and resentment of the people with the poor state of the economy.
On the bright side, he lauded the victories of opposition candidates and promised to reach out to them in an effort to build a strong and united collaboration to take on Weah.
Speaking on the economy which according to him is the crux of everything, Mr. Cummings encouraged the legislature to not allow itself to be used as co-conspirators to the looting of state resources clearly orchestrated by the executive to rob the people of this country through ‘legal’ means – the national budget.
“A budget of almost US$800 million – the highest in our country’s history is reportedly debt-based. This is concerning. To finance those debts, someone has to pay. Unfortunately, you the poor people will pay with high commodity prices beginning next year’, he continued.”
“This must stop and it has be you, me, all of us together in 2023 to make sure of that,” a passionate Cummings lamented. According to the ANC leader, Weah and his cronies are on a grab and go spree because they know that the Liberian people will and cannot endure another six years of this nightmare of a government.” ANC Political averred.
The visit of Cummings to Rivercess according to political pundits is strategic, considering the Bassa belt is the second largest voting belt next to the Kpelle. A consolidation of Bassa support in Grand Bassa, River Cess, Margibi, Bong and Montserrado counties will boost his already swelling approval ratings leading to the CPP primary and the 2023 elections.
It can be recalled that the Standard Bearer of the ANC has toured Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Nimba, Margibi and River Cess counties during the last four months in his drive to better acquaint himself with the people and as well as get a firsthand knowledge of the conditions and challenges of the people of those counties.
Mr. Cummings faces UP’s Joseph Boakai sometime next year in what promises to be a hotly contested CPP primary to select a face to battle Weah in 2023. He has vowed to make Weah a one term president, stressing ‘Liberia can not afford another six (6) years of a Weah presidency.
