As constituent parties within the Collaborating Political Parties solidify their internal structures, the Unity Party Extraordinary Convention has elected business mogul Amin Modad as the new chairman of the opposition UP. Mr. Modad, owner of Bella Casa Hotel and CEO of the MI Group, garnered 34 votes out of 54 delegates who participated in the convention on Tuesday, clobbering River Gee County Senator Conmany Wesseh and former National Investment Executive Director George Wisner in the process.
Amin Modad comes to the UP chairmanship with a lot of business savvy. Born December 23, 1975 in Monrovia, Mr. Modad brings a surprising change to the political landscape. He is the CEO of the MI Group, a 100% Liberian owned company with diversified investments in Hospitality, Real estate Development, and Food Production. He has always been a trailblazer; in addition to owing the largest Liberian owned hotel, he also owns the Atlantic Foods Company, which is the largest Liberian owned food and beverage company. With over 20 years of public and private sectors experience, Amin Modad is one of Liberia’s few trade development experts and postwar business success stories.
He has served as Liberia’s representative to the World Trade Organization, headed the multi-donor funded Enhanced Integrated Framework Program in Liberia, and served as Senior Policy Advisor to the government of Liberia on trade and investment. He has played a key role in Liberia’s post-conflict recovery especially with regards to establishing key economic policies and Liberia’s integration into the multilateral trading system. Pundits believe that a Unity Party under Amin Modad’s chairmanship could see the former ruling party reinvigorated beyond its post-2017 electoral lethargy.
For the National Secretary General position, former UP acting Secretary General Mo Ali secured the post after defeating Amos Tweh and Jake Karbakollie.
Former UP Grand Cape Mount County senatorial candidate, Madam Dabah Varpilah also won the position of Senior Vice Chairman, defeating Lafayette Giddings.
Immediately following the counting of ballots, defeated aspirant George Wisner congratulated Mr. Modad for his victory. “I congratulate Mr. Amin Modad for his election by the NEC as the Chairman of the Unity Party. Let’s get to work now and build UP. A strong and effective UP is good for CPP and Liberia,” Mr. Wisner said.
Meanwhile, information reaching this paper up to press time indicate that the UP Executive Committee was in intense negotiations with Secretary General-elect Mo Ali to concede to Amos Tweh in order to decentralize the party. Senior Vice President-elect Varpilah hails from Grand Cape Mount County, as well as Mr. Mo Ali.