CPP Falling Apart?

-Cummings Says He Can’t Be A Vice Running Mate; Urey Supports BoakaiTo Lead Collaboration; VPS Controversy Intensifies

The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) once considered as a formidable threat to the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in impending elections is reportedly falling apart as controversy takes center stage.

The CPP is a conglomeration of four top opposition political parties in the country. They include the then governing Unity Party (UP) of Joseph NyumaBoakai, the Alternative National Congress (ANC) of Alexander Cummings, All Liberian Party (ALP) of Benoni Urey, and the Liberty Party of Senator NyonbleeKarnga-Lawrence respectively.

The CPP came into existence in 2018 aiming to form a united front against the governing Coalition for Democratic Change ahead of the 2023 general and presidential elections.

However, there have been serious bickering in the CPP between the Chairman and Political Leader of the All Liberian Party (ALP), Benoni Urey and the Alternative National Congress over the use of a non-binding scientific Voter Perception Survey (VPS) proposed by the ANC.

The ANC maintains that the Voter Perception Survey (VPS) is not a new concept. The party reminded colleagues in the CPP that the VPS is used all over the world. It says the VPS will serve to inform the primary participants to see the person most likely to win, so that delegates to the Primary can make informed decision about whom to select or vote for. It says the credibility of the CPP will be further enhanced with the use of the VPS. According to the ANC, the VPS will not replace the impending primary.

Benoni Urey, Chairman of the CPP:

Benoni Urey who is the chairman of the CPP recently said “if anyone will head the ticket of the CPP, that person has to be voted at a primary.”

“I Benoni Urey will not be part of anything; other than going to a primary to elect our standard-bearer. We will not give the right to a foreign group to do a survey. The people who have the right to vote the standard-bearer must not be compromised,” Urey added.

Urey was however quick to announce Joseph NyumaBaoakai of the Unity Party, a member of the CPP as the most experienced. He said “Joe Boakai is the most experience; Cumming is a young successful man and I still maintain that statement. For me, it is not who becomes President. Liberia needs the best. Whoever the CPP makes standard-bearer, I will accept it.”

Cummings Says He Can’t Be A Vice Running Mate:

However, the Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander Cummings has vowed that he wouldn’t settle for anything in 2023 presidential elections other than being a standard bearer.

Cummings said he went into the CPP not to become second, but a standard bearer. The ANC political leader said “I go to politics in Liberia with understanding of aspiration of becoming first and not the other way around.”

According to him, there is nowhere in Liberia where a president has been able to impact the approximately 4.6 million people that which he wants to do and being a vice wouldn’t allow him to do so.

“I want to impact every Liberian and the vice presidency does not require me to do that. Being a Minister, Director are all good jobs, but I’m not looking just for a job, I want to impact all Liberians in a positive way,” Cummings added.

The ANC political leader noted that he’s not looking for job or power rather he wants to reach out to all Liberians which is his goal and objective.

Cummings also said he supports former Vice President Joseph NyumahBoakai where he to be chosen by the Liberian people to lead the Country; noting that he will continue to help Liberians if not to the presidency. He further said “I am not looking for power.”

‘If Liberians go towards different direction that’s okay, that is their right all I can do is to make my case; if I don’t do it well than shame on me it is not the Liberian people fault that they chose someone else,” he added.

Cummings: Unfavorable

Mr. Cummings has meanwhile described the ongoing rigmarole within the CPP as ‘unfavorable’ for said collaboration.

Speaking recently at the ANC monthly Podcast held at the Cummings African Foundation on the Old Road, the ANC head mentioned that the recent action exhibited by some parties in the CPP is not helpful for the collaboration.

“It is no secret that one of the parties, I don’t know how to describe it, but the action is not helpful if we really want this thing to work.’

He indicated that making the collaboration works, requires compromise from everyone involve and not just he (Cummings) or the ANC saying if the other parties want this to work, they need to visibly show that they want to make it work.

Cummings further noted that part of the reason why people doubt the success of the CPP is because the history of collaboration hasn’t work in Liberia, and they are trying to turn a new page and taking a different approach.

Amidst the current situation within the CPP, the ANC political leader said there are few of them who want the collaboration to work.

Sen. NyonbleeKarnga-Lawrence of Liberty Party:

At the same time, the political leader of the opposition Liberty Party (LP), one of the four political parties in the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) is calling for unity amidst the reported rifts setting in between the All Liberian Party (ALP) and the Alternative National Congress of the CPP.

Senator Lawrence in her recent official Facebook Post said in the unforeseeable event of the lack of consensus as to a Presidential Candidate, voters perception survey will be used to help influence the decision to be ultimately made at the Primary of the CPP.

“This, too, is within the spirit of the collaboration we are about to declare, and admittedly, it is healthy for our democracy. We must remain convicted to the truth that the stronger the parties in a collaborative effort, the stronger will be the collaborative outcome,” she added.

According to her, the truth also is that to get to 2023, the CPP has to be tested in 2020.  The Liberty Party political leader further said the CPP must field the best and compete as one collective force in the upcoming Midterm Elections.

“We must win together for the Liberian people and announce a new day of doing business when the CPP senators are sworn in to represent the counties as we have promised our people that we would,” she said.

Supporters’ Views:

Of recent, supporters of those parties have been throwing jibes at each other indicating that the CPP is reportedly falling apart. Political pundits believe the CPP might not hold until 2023, which will give the governing CDC the strength.