Flashback: CPP political leader and standard bearer Alexander B. Cummings and UP political leader and standard bearer, former VP Joseph Boakai
IPNEWS-USA: One of President George Weah’s main political rivals, former Vice President and political leader of the opposition Unity Party, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, has said there is still a possibility for the former ruling Party to collaborate with other political parties ahead of the 2023 legislative and presidential elections this October.
In mid-2022, he pulled the former ruling Unity Party from the Collaborating Political Parties, CPP, on claims that Mr. Alexander Cummings, political leader of the Alternative National Congress, ANC, tampered with the CPP’s framework document signed among parties that formed the CPP.
The ANC political leader vehemently denied the claim.
The CPP was made up of the Unity Party, Alternative National Congress, ANC and the All Liberian Party, ALP of former Maritime Commissioner, Benoni Urey.
Governing CDC incumbent President George Weah and Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor. Boakai and political pundits say only a joint opposition can defeat them in the pending October 2023 elections
Speaking to the Voice of America, VOA during the weekend, Mr. Boakai told his fellow Liberians that to defeat incumbent President, George Weah, is not a one man or one party thing.
“Mr. Weah has dragged this Country to nothing and to defeat him, we need all hands on board,” Ambassador Boakai told the VOA from Pennsylvania in the United States.
Asked about his relationship with Mr. Cummings, Ambassador Boakai said he and the ANC’s political leader remain friends, not bitter rivals as it may be perceived in some quarters.
“Alex visited me at my residence recently when I was discharged from hospital and we had a family talk, not politics,” Boakai also told the VOA. A little over 77 years of age, he sought treatment nearly a month ago at a local hospital in Monrovia when he suffered health complications.
After serving as vice president to former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for 12 years, Mr. Boakai contested the Liberian presidency and lost to now President Weah in 2017 in a presidential runoff following the former ruling UP of Boakai and Weah’s Coalition for Democratic Change, CDC qualified from the first round of voting to secure their runoff contest.
Flashback: Liberty Party political leader Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence and UP standard bearer Joseph Boakai
Many Liberians, mainly his partisans and supporters attributed his defeat then to former President Sirleaf’s refusal to support him, but instead supported Weah against him.
The former Vice President is remembered for telling Liberians that his former ruling Unity Party squandered opportunities during its 12 years of governance.
Asked by the VOA as to who he is talking to for a possible collaboration, Ambassador Boakai named Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson, Senator Jeremiah Koon, also of vote-rich Nimba and others ahead of the 2023 crucial elections.
“Our doors are open and we are asking parties and other opposition politicians to form a formidable opposition that will unseat President Weah and his CDC at the ballot box,” the Unity Party leader said.
Senator Prince Y. Johnson – MDR former standard bearer and political leader. He is regarded as a kingmaker
Senator Johnson, an ally of President Weah since 2017, recently announced that he has withdrawn support from the President for his alleged dismal performance as president and failure to attract investors to the Country especially as an international soccer icon.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports reaching the Independent Probe Newspaper, IPNEWS says ANC political leader, Alexander Cummings the UP leader will in the coming days conclude discussions for Mr. Cummings to go as running mate to Boakai in the 2023 crucial elections.
Officials of both UP and ANC remain tightlipped on the development.
Cummings always insisted to contest the high seat then to go with any candidate as a running mate in October’s legislative and presidential elections.
Our source has however disclosed that Mr. Cummings accepted the offer based on several conditions, including equity in the distribution of cabinet and other positions among the collaborating parties and most importantly, for the former Vice President to serve for only one term so the ANC can have the opportunity to also lead.
Sen. Jeremiah Koung – MDR political leader
However, IPNEWS has not independently confirmed the speculation or reports regarding a possible reunification of the UP Boakai and ANC/CPP Cummings following their fallout to form what most Liberians say will be a dream ticket (Boakai-Cummings Ticket) to democratically unseat incumbent President George Weah and his CDC government.
The development comes several months after the Unity Party of Mr. Boakai backed off from the Collaborating Political Parties, CPP, on allegation that Mr. Cummings had tampered with the framework document among constituent members of the CPP.
Mr. Cummings denied said allegation and following legal battle, the case was thrown out of court due to lack of evidence to prosecute and substantiate claims made by ALP political leader Benoni Urey, who political pundits blame for reportedly breaking the former CPP apart with allegations that had no merits.
