Monrovia — The former Chairman of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) George Solo has expressed disappointment over the extreme hardship and harsh economic conditions the vast majority of citizens are experiencing under the administration of his ex-best friend and bedmate President George Manneh Weah in the wake of the alleged accumulation of questionable wealth by scores of his confidants working in government.
Congress is one of the political parties that make up the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Other parties that are part of the CDC include the Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP) and the former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr. Solo became one of the fiercest critics of his one-time close friend after he was expelled as Chairman of the CDC on August 3, 2014, by the National Executive Committee.
He was controversially removed as Chairman for what the NEC termed as being “a promoter, expediter, and lobbyist for the Robert Sirleaf-for-Senate campaigns, against the party Standard-bearer George Weah”.
The CDC accused Mr. Solo of being an internal operative within the party, where his mission of divisive propaganda, rancor, appetite for dissonance, unsettling policy misdirection, and engineered institutional collapse have come to reflect the disruptive agenda of his hirers.
But Mr. Solo denied the accusations, and blamed his friend-President Weah- of orchestrated the ploy after he allegedly received money given to him by Mr. Robert Alvin Sirleaf-the beloved son of ex-Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf- to back off from the Senatorial race for Montserrado County in 2014.
The happening stirred a sour relationship between Mr. Solo and President Weah at the time and brought a split within the CDC.
Mr. Solo departed Liberia for the United States shortly after his former best friend was inaugurated as President of Liberia. Both men have not reportedly seen eye-to-eye or spoken since the saga.
But speaking when he on the program Spoon Talk on Spoon FM 107.5 over the week end, Mr. Solo observed that the commitment made by many closed confidantes, brothers and friends of the Liberian leader during their opposition days is not being kept up to present.
He said though he defended his former best friend, the Liberian leader appears to be defendable and as such, it is now time for those who were closer to him to be realistic because the current state of Liberia is appalling.
“To who much is given, much is expected. We know the dark days we spent (with the CDC). Today, when you are a King and you get on the road, it’s easy to get followers. But before you became King, who were there? Why you should not be disappointed about the way your country is when you look at those kids whom you bought mosquito coil for riding US$90,000 car and our ma (mothers) don’t have clothes to wear and children walking with no slippers on their feet.”
“The most critical skill that propelled George Weah to the presidency is his adaptability. He’s able to adapt to the surrounding that he’s in; when you put Manneh (President Weah) with comedian and he starts telling jokes, you will say he’s the best comedian that’s why you see today he’s making music; when you put him with wicked people, he will show evil in the way that Liberian people have not seen.”
Mr. Solo said despite serving as a former Chairman of the CDC, he will continue to hold President Weah accountable for his stewardship over the nation and its people.
Not under pressure to perform
He observed that most of those surrounding the presidency are individuals who are only affiliating based upon the ascendancy of the Liberian leader.
Mr. Solo added that President Weah is not under pressure to perform or do the right things in favor of the Liberian people because, he is surrounded by these people and others who are afraid to speak truth to power.
“When you hear us talking today and people who do not know trying to antagonize us, I always maintain that if George Weah is under pressure and told realistically, he performs at his highest because he’s an athlete. Psychologically if he’s under no pressure, he will make music and dance Buga because in his mind, there is no sense of urgency.”
The Liberian leader is one of the lovers of Kiss Daniel’s song “Buga”. He has been seen on many occasions dancing to the beat of the song.
Mr. Solo termed as “disgraceful” the “hijacking of the revolution” which brought the CDC to power.
Do the right thing
“(President) George Weah needs to do the right thing. It’s never late to do the right thing or to start being dishonest to people that commit to you.”
He, however, vowed to lead a campaign to ensure that President Weah steps down from power if his government continues to be recognized internationally of corruption as evidenced by the sanctioning of his officials.
He noted that Liberians are being abused in their own country, while the judiciary and legislative branches of government remain occupied with greedy and corrupt individuals.
“When do we just wake up and say stand down and we want you to go? We want to get to the next level or be like little Rwanda; we want to live in peace and tranquility-we want to see patriotism grow. There is a point where the contract between the government and the people is dissolved based on corruption.”