— Will NPP Chairman Biney & LPDP Political Leader Tyler Attend?
IPNEWS-Monrovia: The governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), comprising of three constituent political parties – Congress for Democratic Change of President George Weah, former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and the Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP) of former House Speaker Alex J. Tyler, will official sign an OFFICIAL COALITION AGREEMENT that will renew their collaboration ahead of the October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
According to an invitation released by CDC National Chairman, Mulbah Morlu on late Monday night, the party invites all officials, partisans, stalwarts and sympathizers of the Coalition for Democratic Change to an official SIGNING CEREMONY of the Coalition Agreement on today, February 7, 2023 beginning at 8am at the Coalition Headquarters in Congo Town.
Mr. Morlu disclosed that the President of Liberia and Standard-bearer of the CDC, George Weah will arrive will grace the signing ceremonies. He however did not state whether the political leader of the LPDP, Alex Tyler will grace the occasion as well as recently the former House Speaker expressed frustration over what he termed as “not be being treated fairly” by the other constituent party – Congress for Democratic Change during the first term of their administration.
Also the National Chairman of the NPP, Senator James Biney, stated that his party will not sign the COALITION AGREEMENT as well because the constituent party – Congress for Democratic Change has not also treated them well over the years. But with NPP holding the Vice President slot in the Coalition, it is unknown whether the NPP will boycott the signing ceremony.
The NPP and LPDP has always accused the CDC of marginalizing them when it comes to job allocations in the Coalition government, as they were only given minor positions in government. Senator Biney and former Speaker Tyler said there has to be an internal agreement before they can sign the agreement to avoid what happened in the first term of the CDC-led government.
Coalition Excited Over Reaffirmation Agreement for 2023 Polls
It can be recalled in September 2022, members of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) expressed enthusiasm over the signing of the Coalition Reaffirmation and Unity document, as it prepared for its Retreat of all 15 County Leadership structure in Gbarnga, Bong County last year.
The three political parties – National Patriotic Party (NPP), Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP) and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) – signed a Coalition Reaffirmation and Unity document, which reaffirmed the three parties’ commitment to the Coalition for Democratic Change’s 2016 accord, agreeing to work together as one in the 2023 ensuing Legislative & Presidential Elections.
In a statement released by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Coalition for Democratic Change in September last year, the parties’ leadership hailed the milestone achievement as officials and partisans alike, celebrated the historic moment.
“The parties congratulate the leaders for the laudable progress, henceforth extending thanks and appreciation to H.E. George M. Weah, Standard-bearer, Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor, Vice Standard-bearer, Mr. Alex Tyler/leader of the LPDP, NPP Chairman, James Biney, LPDP Chairman, Moses Kollie, and members and officials of all three political parties,” the statement noted last year September.
It further said that the profound step taken by the constituent parties in the CDC was in the right direction which, according to them, would subsequently strengthen the Coalition.
NPP, LPDP Except to Agreement Penned with CDC
Days following the September Reaffirmation and Unity Document, the National Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Liberia People’s Democratic Party (LPDP) clarified that a recent joint statement signed by leaders of the three constituent political parties, including the Congress for Democratic Change that formed the Coalition for Democratic Change was a Declaration of Intent and not a Final Agreement.
The NPP and LPDP, two constituent parties of the Coalition, in a joint press statement said the reaffirmation document signed by the three constituent political parties is just an expression of their intent to work together in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
On September 8, 2022, the LPDP, NPP and the Congress for Democratic Change signed a joint statement, reaffirming their commitment to work together during next year’s presidential and legislative elections.
However, there has been widespread misinformation, indicating the recent reaffirmation document that their leaders signed is the final coalition agreement that will guide them to 2023.
According to the NPP and the LPDP, the reaffirmation set the basis for all three parties to, through their respective national conventions, as will be mandated by their respective national executive committees, draw up a formal framework document.
The joint statement said the framework document will, among other things, spell out interests of the parties in the governance process of the country and procedure for selecting legislative candidates.
Both parties added that the agreement defined by the framework document will be signed by at least two-thirds of members of their respective national executive committees in line with constitutions of their respective parties, and guidelines and regulations of the National Elections Commission governing formation of alliances, coalitions and mergers of political parties.
The NPP and LPDP joint press statement was signed by Andrew Peters and Eric Kpayea, Secretary Generals and approved by Senator James Biney and Mr. Moses Kollie, National Chairmen, respectively.
Five years since they took power after winning the presidency in 2017, all has not been rosy in the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, as the NPP has suffered intra-party conflicts, while some members of the LPDP and CDC are dissatisfied about jobs distribution.
Recently, some members of the national youth congress and the constituent coordinators of the LPDP expressed dissatisfaction on the agreement that brought them into marriage, calling on their leaders, Moses Kollie and Alex Tyler to withdraw their signatures.
According to them, both Chairman Kollie and Political Leader Tyler should recall their signatures because they (youths and constituent coordinators) are not happy with the manner their party has been treated in terms of governance of the country.
They complained that there has been unfair distribution of jobs in the government especially, political appointments.
Some time ago, some members of the NPP similarly expressed dissatisfaction about distribution of jobs in the coalition-run government.
Besides, the leadership of the NPP has been locked in a legal battle between its embattled chairman Senator James Birney and political leader, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor.
But the case was resolved by the Supreme Court and the lower court gave the James Biney leadership 45 days to take the party to national convention and elect new corps of leadership, which has been scheduled for October.
The Congress for Democratic Change has had its own share of internal strife with reports of dissatisfaction among some members because of alleged failure of leaders to offer them jobs.
Some aggrieved CDCians left the party because they have not benefitted from the revolution that they struggled for over the years.
The trio in 2017 signed an agreement that subsequently gave birth to the now ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.
The tripartite agreement was expected to be reviewed by all three constituent political parties ahead of the 2023 elections.
CDC Petition Ceremony for Pres. Weah’s Second Term Bid
Last Saturday, February 4, 2023, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) petitioned President George Weah to seek a second term for their term ‘to continue his development’ of the country.
Thousands of CDCians from all works of life graced the occasion, as the petition document was read by Alex Tyler’s LPDP Chairman, Moses Y. Kollie. But the LPDP political leader, Alex Tyler was absent from the petition program.
Also noticeable absentee at the occasion was National Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman, Senator James Biney, but NPP political leader and Vice President of the CDC-led government Jewel Howard Taylor was present.
Meanwhile, as the CDC signs its COALITION AGREEMENT today, there is public anxiety whether the NPP chairman, Senator James Biney and LPDP political leader, Alex J. Tyler will form part of the ceremonies.
However, CDC National Chairman, Mulbah Morlu has assured that the Signing Ceremony will go ahead as planned as all constituent parties will be on hand to sign the COALITION AGREEMENT on today, February 7, 2023.
