— As NPP Executive Committee Meets Soon
IPNEWS: In January 2024, National Patriotic Party Chairman, Atty. George Mulbah, has hinted at the party’s imminent exit from the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
The CDC is a Coalition of three Political Parties including the NPP, Liberia People Democratic Party and Congress for Democratic Change.
In an interview on State Radio ELBC Thursday, Atty. Mulbah said the framework agreement on governance among the constituent parties of the Coalition for Democratic Change will no longer exist after January 22 inaugural program.
“we signed the coalition document premised on the fact that the definition of coalition will be clearly applied. What is Coalition? Coalition is a one or two parties coming together to form a government. Now we don’t have a government; so we have to ask ourselves what is the next step to be taken”, Atty. Mulbah said.
He said the NPP, LPDP and the CDC cannot work together under a coalition arrangement because they would no longer be governing the country.
Atty. George Mulbah called on his colleagues in the CDC and LPDP to begin high-level discussions surrounding the future of the Coalition, stressing that new agreement may be signed to keep the three parties together.
However, Chairman Mulbah said the NPP, like the other two political parties in the coalition, reserves the right to remain or leave the alliance.
“We have the personalities to contest as President on the ticket of the NPP in 2029. We have produced countless lawmakers, prop-temp and other high ranking members of the legislature. So, it is not a question of whether we have the personalities within the party to contest in 2029”.
The NPP national Chairman reflected on the mistakes of the CDC government, attributed part of its defeat in the November 14 run-off Presidential elections to lack of level playing field, constituent parties not having access to opportunities and outgoing President George Manneh Weah.
“If you remember constituent parties mainly the LPDP and the NPP were outside of the perimeter of the campaign. These parties have members; and they hoped that their leaders would be on platforms at campaign rallies. Even to see the President, it was difficult. So many factors led to the defeat of the Coalition in the just ended elections”, George Mulbah asserted on State Radio.
On the heels of Mulbah’s statement, former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, hinted that she would stand in the upcoming 2029 presidential elections after former President George Manneh Weah, told his congregation that he was walking away from politics to focus on his family life.
According to former Vice President Taylor, she didn’t go through all of the leadership experiences and tests to turn around, in response to a question about her active engagement in political activities and if she could contest for the Presidency while speaking to Closing Argument, a live online talk show recently.
“Yes, I will contest 2029. Someone asked me a question, why do you want to be President one day. And I said, do you think I have gone through all of this only to get to it and say I’m turning around? That is a fraud in my character. When I’m on a trajectory as you know, it takes a bulldozer to turn me around”, she noted.
The former first female Vice President maintains that she believes she can still impact her country in many ways.
She further indicated that because the Coalition for Democratic Change lost the election, she is now political leader of the National Patriotic Party (NPP), noting that the standard bearer is given a year before standing up either as President or Vice President.
On the marriage with the CDC, Mrs. Taylor said she doesn’t know if the NPP as a political party remains in the Coalition because the agreement was to go in the presidential election and hoping that they could have won and remain together.
“Now, since it didn’t, every political party will now go back in house and ensure if they are staying or reforming. There were other new things among which calls for the chairmanship of the party to rotate, among others that they have to agree as to what to do going forward.” Former Vice President Taylor stated.
Last week, the NPP In a swift turn of event, the National Patriotic Party (NPP) has with immediate effect announced its sudden withdrawal from the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) a political marriage birth in 2017.
The pronouncement was made through its National Chairman Attorney George Sylvester Mulbah, Thursday, February 15, 2024.
The CDC had been a Coalition of three political parties including the National Patriotic Party (NPP), Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP) and Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
In an interview, on a local radio station (Super Bongese 104.9MHz) in Gbarnga Attorney Mulbah said the NPP’s decision is marred by the irregularities and humiliations orchestrated by senior stalwarts of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
Attorney Mulbah alleged that the framework document signed between political parties which sum up the Coalition for Democratic Change was violated by former President Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
“NPP as a party was cheated in the governance processes of the Weah’s regime and so we no longer see it prudent to form part of the coalition as we await the 2029 election,” Attorney George Sylvester Mulbah said.
According to him, the Coalition agreement was terminated as of January 22, 2024 following the inauguration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
He disclosed that the NPP will field former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor as its Standard Bearer in the 2029 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
The statement said the NPP’s National Chairman mandated members, supporters and affiliates of the party to back-off from the Congress for Democratic Change’s pending Buchanan convention.
Now a major twist has occurred with former Vice president and political leader of the NPP taking a surprised U-turn in her earlier decision of an imminent CDC-NPP breakaway.
In a statement issued over the weekend, former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor clarified that the NPP still remains in the Coalition comprising the CDC, NPP and other grassroot political parties.
Chief, Cllr. Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor stated that she has taken note of a recent media publication with the headline “Jewel Howard Taylor’s NPP withdraws from the CDC,”, and as Former Vice President, Vice Standard Bearer of the CDC, and Standard Bearer of the NPP unequivocally state that she ‘did not authorize such a decision, nor has the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) taken such a decision’.
Madam Taylor said she considers the report of withdrawal from the CDC-NPP coalition as a deliberate effort by a few zealous members of the NPP-NEC for personal gain and believes that the decision does not reflect the consensus of the NEC or the majority of the NPP.
“I therefore urge the national Executive committee to convene an emergency NEC meeting to address the concerns of the party members. Therefore, in the spirit of honesty and unity, I as Former Vice President, Vice Standard Bearer of the CDC, and Standard Bearer of the NPP reaffirms NPP unwavering commitment to the CDC and the opposition community in the country.” Former Vice President, Jewel Howard Taylor statement read.
In October 2022, the former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP), is in a deep split if not carefully handled and managed could spill over to their political marriage of 2017 between the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) of President George Weah, National Patriotic Party (NPP) of jailed former president Charles Taylor and now of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and the Liberia People’s Democratic Party (LPDP) of former House Speaker Alex Tyler.
On Friday, October 7, 2022, the incumbent Standard Bearer of the NPP, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor reportedly ignored a Supreme Court of Liberia order that mandated NPP National Chairman James Biney and Secretary General Andrew Peters to hold the party’s convention, by dedicating to herself the responsibility thereof, thus leading to violent clashes.
The violent clashes led to the party holding separate conventions at the Paynesville City Hall with the NPP political leader and standard bearer, Vice President Taylor presiding over one group, while National Chairman Biney and Secretary Peters presided over the other.
The NPP’s 7th Biennial Convention was held in compliance with the mandate of the Civil Law Court, which adjudicated the prolonged leadership conflict within the former ruling party of jailed former President Charles Taylor.
In March 2023, National Executive Committee (NEC) of the National Patriotic (NPP) Party, relieved its embattled Chairman Senator James Biney, of his position as National Chairman of the NPP.
“The National Executive Committee (NEC), of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) has with unanimous vote, relieved its suspended National Chairman; Hon. James Biney, Senator of ,Maryland county, of his position as National Chairman, based on a complaint of grievous nature filed by partisans, an NEC mandate to the Grievance and Ethics Committee to investigate said grievous complaint; and that said findings of the Grievance and Ethics Committee be submitted to the NEC of the Party,” the statement read.
The release recalled that the National Executive Committee (NEC) earlier this month, suspended the former Chairman, for acts in direct defiance to a mandate of the NEC of the party; and inimical to the office of the National Chairman .
The NEC after hearing and discussion of the issues; as per the dictates of the NPP Constitution, was immediately submitted to the Grievance and Ethics Committee for investigation and recommendations.
According to the Statement, after said process was completed; a full report was submitted to the National Executive Committee in special session held on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at its National Headquarters.
“In its report, the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the Party informed the NEC members that the processes as laid down by the NPP constitution were scrupulously followed; the suspended Chairman Biney was cited to appear before the Grievance Committee as per the Charges lived in the complaint, but unfortunately, after serving the letter and with Chairman of the National Patriotic Party with immediate effect,” the release said.
The release which was signed by the Assistant Secretary for Press and Propaganda Mr. Gus Knowlden and dated March 25, 2023; said, “It is now therefore mandated by the NEC of the National Patriotic Party that the General Public be informed and advised that partisan Atty. George S. Mulbah, is now the legitimate Chairman of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) be addressed to him as it National Chairman.”
The National Patriotic Party of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor further encouraged the general public, members of the constituent parties within the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC &LPDP), International Community, National Election Commissions, Political Parties and all elections related organizations to freely transact business with Atty. George S. Mulbah as the National Chairman of the National Patriotic Party (NPP).
