MONROVIA: Internal cracks, party indiscipline and diversities of choice for candidates are cited as some of the reasons incumbent Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) suffered a runoff waterloo on November 14. That virus of discoordination was creeping into the body politic of the party in its endeavor to retain the covetous position of Speaker of the House of Representatives. But it seems common sense has prevailed, and the party has put its acts together, zeroing on one candidate believed to be most the suited under the circumstance where, for the first time in years if not decades, an opposition person would be the House Speakers, The Analyst reports.
The ruling Coalition for Democratic Change, barely weeks before becoming an opposition party, or turning over power to rival Unity Party, has seemingly finally put its acts together in pursuit of ambition into retire into opposition with a prize of Speaker of the House of Representatives at the National Legislature.
During the last six years of presidential incumbency, the CDC concurrently maintained grips on the National Legislature, holding on to the Speaker of House and President Pro-tempore.
As the party drifts into opposition, it does not seem willing to relinquish its legislative dominance, fighting all fronts to remain aloft following its one-term presidency.
All has not been a walk in the park, because with rival Unity Party fighting tooth and nail to also follow the dominant political record of the CDC, holding the Legislature and Executive Branches, there are other opposition parties also having their hats in the Speaker race.
Compounding the woes of the CDC also was the infighting, at least four known persons who were attempting to contest for Speaker of the House, the third constitutional successor to the National Political Throne.
On the list of the CDC contenders were four-term representative Fallah, incumbent Deputy Speaker Fonati Koffa and incumbent House Speaker Bhofal Chambers even while his election results remain contentious, amongst others.
The last few weeks have been characterized by bickering amongst CDC decision-makers over who should be a candidate of the party, and who should give in on their ambitions.
There has been contentions amongst some party zealots who think the Southeast has benefited largely during the CDC’s six years with both presidential and legislative leadership positions and that it’s time to undo it going into opposition.
President Weah, from Grand Kru, Speaker Chambers from Maryland, President Protempore Albert Chie from Grand Kru, and deputy Speaker Koffa from Grand Kru.
Given that historical context, some CDC partisans believe it was time to let other regions and counties of the country taste the leadership positions.
But there are those who now think if there was any time for the CDC to cut across and remain supportive of the Southeast, or a time to strike the geopolitical balance, it was now—now that the party is defeated in an elections widely believe to tight, causing deep national divide, and begging for national unity and reconciliation.
Information gathered by The Analyst indicates that the mass of ordinary CDC partisans had opted for Thomas Fallah to be on the approval ticket, given his exuberance and good relations with them, while the bigwigs reportedly including Chief Executive George Weah preferred Fonati Koffa.
The infighting nearly cracked the post-election unity needed to hold a defeated and grieving party together before level-headed folks reportedly pulled themselves up from the fray to take charge of things.
CDC Lets Cat Out
The successful negotiation broken has found expression in the official statement of the leadership of the party delivered December 1, 2023 by National Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu.
Chairman Morlu told a press conference that after extensive internal consultations between the National Executive Committee and the CDC legislative caucus, the party was endorsing the candidature of Grand Kru Representative Koffa.
According to him, the part came to the conclusion “given the thin nature of the election returns, a balanced government regionally and politically, in the best interest of the Liberian people”.
“In this light,” the noted, “the party intends to support its caucus quest for the speaker position and have endorsed the candidacy of Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, a well-balanced political and regional partisan, as its sole candidate for speaker.”
We Didn’t Lose Right to Govern in UP’s Victory – CDC’s National Chairman Tells Partisans
The defeat of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change at the end of its first term by a two-term former ruling Unity Party is described as “razor-thin”. Some say the defeat could have been avoided if the incumbent party were meticulous; if it had fought to the end and not truncated by a premature concession by standard-bearer George Manneh Weah. Others however hail the move as rarely patriotic, not only solidifying the country’s nascent democracy but redeeming most African leaderships’ allergy to democratic tenets, including elections. Meanwhile, most ordinary CDCians are still in utter shock, drowned in disbelief, over the elections results, and the leadership of the party continues to provide the therapy and consolation by making moving public orations. The National Chairman, Mulbah K. Morlu, took to the podium over the weekend to speak to the partisans.
As partisans and supporters of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change come to terms with their defeat in the hands of their long political rival, the Unity Party, executives and influential members of the party concurrently continue to disinfest and calm them from the trauma and nausea of the waterloo.
President George Manneh Weah himself, in his concession statement and other engagements with officials of government and ordinary partisans, have been pacifying in tune in an attempt to cure what others call post-elections traumatic disorder suffered.
The National Chairperson, Mulbah K. Morlu continue his consolation crusade for his many partisans who are not taking the party’s defeat lightly. Some partisans have reportedly died of heartbreak, while others suffer nervous disorder according to reports received from various CDC platforms.
On Friday, December 1, 2023, Mr. Morlu once again gathered a throng of partisans at the party headquarters to speak to the nation, including sending out comforting messages.
He stated: “Fellow partisans, our opponent’s unexampled razor-thin victory does not mean that we have lost the right to govern Liberia forever. Even before their inauguration, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Liberian people have just being duped, deceived and misled into electing the most incapable elder, surrounded by the most corrupt group of people!”
Referring to the runoff elections held on November 10 as “historic travesty of democracy” which can be corrected, he called on partisans to “rise above the fruitless distraction of blaming others for the loss, instead introspecting what is at stake, and quickly coming back together as one party, one family, and one gigantic political fortress of redemption, The Mighty Coalition for Democratic Change”.
Chairman Morlu said the need to regroup cannot be overemphasized as the party prepares “to battle and defeat Deep State conspiracy-administrators who took advantage of our reposed confidence at strategic state institutions to destroy our government from within.”
These anti-CDC disrupters are a den of thieves craving for more opportunities to hustle, he said, adding: “To stop them, we must rise above trivial differences and subordinate personal concerns to the superior interest of the common good.”
“Again, I say, let’s come together quickly to confront the threats unfolding against us all, which is no longer implicit and hypothetical; this threat is very explicit, clear and present,” he said.
Morlu intimated that the CDC remains grateful to its partisans and supporters for the hard-work, discipline, commitment and peacefulness throughout the campaign.
He stated further: “We give thanks and applaud the hard work of the campaign committee, our loyal and dedicated Militants, the party’s revolutionary Youth League, the esteemed Women League, robust County, District, Zonal and Auxiliary groupings; Diaspora Chapters, Musicians, First-time Voters, Petty Traders, Traditional Leaders, Market-women, Civil Servants, students, religious groups, Farmers, Pen-Pen Riders and Yanna Boys. We say thank you plenty, without you we wouldn’t come this far, and with your continuous support, we are certain CDC will rise again, stronger than ever before!”
He called on CDCians as they remain mobilized, to continue to draw strength from the fact that the Mighty Coalition for Democratic Change is alive, robust and resilient.
“To those who take pride in our challenges, we are not a group to be pitied, but a fortress of fearless revolutionaries committed to the unstoppable rise of the people’s party, a CAUSE we are prepared to protect with our lives, sweat and blood,” he said, adding, “As we learn vital lessons of the past, the cdc will keep standing up for what is just and right in defense of the cause of the people, which does not end with one term, but continues even after we are dead and turned to dust.”
According to him, the concession message of President George M. Weah brings 2023 election queries to a closure, adding that “we wish to send an important message to our opponents of the coming government that we will not concede a micro inch of Liberia to misrule, witch-hunt & bad governance”.
As Chairman of the mighty Coalition for Democratic Change which continues to be the political guardrail of Liberia’s democracy, “I admonish CDCians and Liberians at large, not to be frightened; do not yield to politics of intimidation and fear; I say to you in civil service, fear not! Under the leadership of this National Executive Committee of the CDC, which is led by undisputed, trustworthy and accomplished revolutionaries, we will reassert the mighty CDC’s national political dominance to protect and keep you safe from witch-hunt and tyranny.
“Fear not, CDCians, for we are with you through to the very end: whether down a valley or at the edge of a cliff; Eagles Don’t Fear Heights!”
Energizing CDCians further, Chairman Morlu asserted: “Our most distinguished partisans, let’s garner strength from the following realities: ‘they tried to bury us but didn’t know we were seeds’. The more their efforts to destroy the CDC, the more the mighty Coalition for Democratic Change rises in power, dominance and strength. And those on the other side who fantasize the thought that we will crawl on our bellies, or fall to our knees to negotiate surrender, do not know us well; we will never bow to the golden calf of apostasy!”
Whenever the party chooses to negotiate on any issue pertinent to the interests of its people, it will be from a position of strength.
“We will never stoop low to the arrogance of Unity Party’s 20,000 ‘Half-district’ election mandate,” he mocked.
“Nevertheless, as pillars of Liberia’s peace and stability, we call on our people to move past this ugly democratic experience and support the peaceful transfer of power through our transition team.
Even so, it would be a serious dereliction of our sacred duty of upholding the public trust if we did not make certain matters clear and unambiguous.”
Morlu told his partisans that “UP’s presidential razor-thin victory margin of 50.64 compared to ours of 49.36 percent votes cast, in no way signals a large electoral mandate.
Evidently, he noted, the country is evenly split, unlike 2018 when President Weah had a popular mandate; the Unity Party simply does not have a clear governing mandate to continue its arrogant display of power.
Speaking further, the CDC National Chairman said it is glaring that nearly 50 percent of Liberian voters in these muddled elections opted to vote for the CDC brand of political and economic governance.
“Thus, we must emphatically caution the United Party’s incoming administration to consider the wishes and desires of nearly 50 percent of the citizens of Liberia who rejected them,” he said.
“As such, they should govern and be mindful that nearly half of the country resisted their so called “Rescue efforts”. In fact, Liberia does not need to be rescued by political buccaneers who spent 12 years in power looting the coffers of the state,” Mr. Morlu indicated.
He added: “Yes, we have accepted the outcome of the just ended controversial elections for peace, not because it was free and fair, but because it’s the only way we keep our beloved country peaceful and save our peace from the hands of a den of violent usurpers who are so desperate for power that they didn’t mind plunging the entire nation into chaos to achieve it.”
“Fellow partisans, we are not oblivious to the fact that by accepting to move past this mismanaged election result, we may in effect be throwing our institution into unchartered waters; be that as it may, we can collectively survive and in the not too distant future, ride the tides to victory as we stand together, beginning now. Lest we forget my friends, the CDC is not only a GRASSROOTS-STRONG revolutionary idea, it is also an enduring concept of redemption that has successfully laid the foundation for real and lasting change.”
He said CDCians should take pride in in their six years of self-less service to country.
“Walk with heads up high, regardless of the politics; it cannot be argued that the CDC-led government has set higher standards of governance and made huge development gains that can not be discarded by hate and lies,” he said further.
“Since government is continuity, it now falls on the shoulders of the incoming government to maintain our high standards and continue to build on the Weah-led government’s laudable gains.
We are building roads that should be continued; we are building hospitals that should be continued; we are giving free education that can only be sustained; we have built unprecedented press Freedom, freedom of assembly and freedom of speech that cannot be derailed.”
He said as Liberia’s most peaceful democratic institution, the CDC in six years has built a peaceful and tolerant political and social environment for all. The preservation of that peace now rests on the shoulder of the Boakai-led regime.
“Therefore, to consolidate the peace, we caution the incoming regime to reject ill-advised actions such as with-hunt, economic apartheid, police brutality and all forms of prejudices detrimental to good governance and stability.
“As we begin our party’s re-building process, we admonish our partisans to converge around the ideas that birthed the CDC into a mighty political fortress. Let it not be forgotten that the mighty Coalition for Democratic Change has survived worse tragedies than what confronts us now, and CDCians will not be mistaken to view this challenge as a springboard upon which, with fervent determination, we can rise to new levels of institutional greatness and democratic power.”
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