Liberia: CPP Chair Bility Still Hopeful of Opposition Unity to Defeat Incumbent Weah

Monrovia — As the 2023 general and presidential elections draw near, the Chairman of the new Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Mr. Musa Hassan Bility says opposition political parties in Liberia will form a united front to prevent the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led-government of President George Manneh Weah from clinging unto state power for another six years.

Recently, Mr. Bility, who is also the Chairman of the opposition Liberia Party (LP), led scores of other executives of the party to form a new framework document of the CPP, thereby endorsing the Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Mr. Alexander Cummings, as its Standard Bearer for the 2023 general and presidential elections.

The move was triggered after the All-Liberian Party (ALP) of Mr. Benoni Urey, former ruling Unity Party (UP) of Joseph Nyuma Boakai and a faction of the LP headed by its Political Leader Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, broke away from the original CPP.

The shattered political marriage between the three parties ended following months of internal wrangling over the selection of a Standard Bearer to head the ticket in 2023, the alleged alteration of the first framework document, and the filing of lawsuits against executives of the collaboration.

Speaking in an interview with FrontPageAfrica via telephone over the weekend. Mr. Bility observed that the opposition community in Liberia is currently in a “worst territory” due to the lack of unity.

Mr. Bility said the lack of unity among opposition political parties remains a major obstacle that could hinder their ascendancy to the presidency.

He noted that despite mere bluff being showcased within the opposition community in Liberia, opposition politicians will settle their differences and hold together to achieve their common goal of democratically unseating the CDC-led-government from power.

Said Mr. Bility: “Unification is lacking among the opposition; hopefully, we will work on that. Right now, it’s a worst territory for the opposition. But we will be fine eventually. I see the opposition aligning before the elections; they will realize it. Forget about all the bluffing that is going around here; we will all come together.”

Making Weah one-term President

Mr. Bility was one of those who supported the election of President Weah against former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai of the Unity Party during the run-off of the 2017 elections

He was a stalwart of the opposition Liberty Party (LP) at the time the decision was made.

Five years later, Bility is harboring regrets and is now pledging to support and vigorously campaign to ensure the election of President Weah.

Mr. Bility disclosed that his decision taken to remain in the opposition, instead of joining the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) which he supported in 2017, is a clear indication that he remains committed to ensure that President Weah does not retain the presidency.

He attributed his support to the Liberian leader to a popular mandate from the opposition at the time.

“That’s why I’m in the opposition for (to make President Weah a one term President). We must defeat the CDC. What you think I’m in the opposition if that is not my objective. It’s not a crime that I supported President Weah before. I was in the opposition at the time and the opposition agreed that whosoever goes to the second round, we all should support that person.”

He said though he supported President Weah, he parted company due to the manner and form in which the country is being governed.

Government failing

Said Mr. Bility: “Every Liberian knows that the government is failing and has done a lot of negative things. We want to get rid of them; we can provide better governance.”

He said the government has failed to combat against corruption and elevate the living conditions of the citizens.

As a result of this, Mr. Bility maintained that opposition politicians should make use of the government’s failures by “burying” their differences to prevent President Weah from getting a second term.

“We must bury our little differences this time around. We have no choice, and we have to unite.”

He noted that the unification of the opposition does not in any way imply that opposition political parties should carry a single candidate in the race for the presidency in 2023.

Supporting opposition during run-off

Said Mr. Bility: “I don’t see it that way. What I see is a unification of couples. If Joseph Boakai wants to run, let him run; if Alexander Cummings wants to run, let him run too. But there must be an understanding that we are opposition and whoever goes to the second round, we all can rally around that person. That’s simple. There are better days for the opposition and we the leaders have to do it; we have no choice.”

Mr. Bility observed that the overwhelming show of support to the opposition was done by Liberians during the 2020 mid-term senatorial elections. “The Liberian people have already said to us that a united opposition will beat the CDC first round in 2023.”

Mr., Bility pointed out that in helping to ensure a united front ahead of the elections, the CPP will continue to work and open to all opposition political parties in the country, noting that, “I am hoping that we do it (come together) before the elections.”

On biometric voter registration

Liberia is taking steps as compare to other countries across the African continent to use a biometric voter registration for the conduct of the 2023 general and presidential elections.

However, the move has been characterized by procurement flaws which have backfired, raising eyebrows and concerns over the handpicking of Ekemp/Palm Insurance to carry out the exercise by the Chairperson of the NEC Davidetta Browne-Lasannah.

Mr. Bility expressed the hope that the steps being taken to ensure a biometric voter registration process will be a win-win situation for all stakeholders and the nation.

He observed that the ongoing process has been misconstrued, making the public to believe that Liberians will vote electronically

“We think that the biometric voter registration process will be ok. We have no reason to believe that the National Elections Commission is going to do the wrong thing. This is not an electronic voting system; this is just for the data base that we all have been crying for. I just hope that we can get it right.”

Mr. Bility noted that the archaic manual form of voter registration and voting processes in Liberia have served as sources for the filing of multiple complaints against double registration and irregularities during electioneering periods in the country.

But with a biometric voter registration process, he stressed, that these complaints and electoral fraud will be “minimized.”

He further underscored the need for the Government of Liberia and all stakeholders to ensure that the procurement process for the biometric voter registration is properly done to avoid embarrassment in the future.

“They need to put everybody together to make sure that the procurement issue is resolved so that we can move ahead with the best company.”

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