MONROVIA: In an emotionally charged spirit and being overwhelmed by the turn of positive events in the Liberty Party (LP) in recent times, the Vice Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Cllr. Charlyne M. Brumskine has sent out an encouraging message to all partisans who either left the party or have been inactive for various reasons to return and fight for the party’s survival as well as stand up for the country, just as LP founding father, the late Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine did to save the party from going down the drain.
Cllr. Brumskine made the clarion call yesterday, Monday, July 31, 2023 when she spoke at the headquarters of the CPP when a number of Liberty Party Montserrado County coordinators who had left for various reasons returned to reunite with their partisans and colleagues for the purpose of contributing to the renewed process of consolidating the status of the party as well as supporting the CPP, of which LP is a constituent party, to win the ensuing general elections.
Charlyne who said she was not going to speak in her official capacity as VSB of the CPP but rather as a daughter of the founder and former Standard Bearer of the party, Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, told the returnees that she was exceedingly happy for their decision to come back to the party after leaving for various reasons, saying she believed that truly, the spirit of the former political leader lives on and continues to inspire all members of LP to remain steadfast and determined in the course of living by the ideals for which LP was created.
“I am happy for those of you who have decided to return home to the Liberty party. I said it last week, there is this spirit, the spirit of Cllr. Brumskine, I believe is still living and that the spirit rests heavily on you that came back.
“Come back and let us rebuild the party according to the dream of Cllr. Brumskine. It is time that we fight for the party, to fight for the country to save it from going down the drain.
“Liberty Party for now, I want for us to be righteously angry about the level of suffering in the country, I want us to be angrier than ever before, to speak against the conditions our people have been subjected to. I wonder how our leaders sleep; you mean you are sleeping well, merrymaking while the majority of your people are suffering?” Charlyne wondered.
She historicized the foundation on which Cllr. Brumskine built the LP, among which was to speak the truth without compromising anything for personal gain; and he stood for it until his death. She said in 2005 when he first contested the elections, there were two other candidates that had the attraction from the international community, and named Ellen Johnson Sirleaf whose work experience and exposure on the international scene gained her prominence; and now President George Manneh Weah whose soccer prowess attracted international recognition. But Brumskine was “just a lawyer from Buchanan, made his name here and fought to protect it; unlike others who would jump for an opportunity to join one of the groups that people believe was winning yet stayed in his LP and made it the party that was respected”.
“You know there is a virus in this country, it is a political virus that has made people always go on the side that people believe will win. That virus did not get Brumskine.
‘And so that is why we are disappointed with some of the remnants of Brumskine’s supporters that they will leave the party and say they are going to the Unity Party for a rescue mission.
“If a former ruling party says it wants to rescue us after their 12 years of management, the suffering, the corruption and people from our own institution are telling our people to go back from where they were rescued six years ago?”, she said.
The tough talking CPP VSB made a disclaimer that she does not intend to attack UP, but took a swipe at it for “being the reason our institution has been torn apart”, stressing that UP has been exerting intentional effort to return to power, a situation if they succeed will lead to destroying the Liberty Party.
She said since her selection as VSB by Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, she has come under sustained attack from the UP and other detractors, but confessed that she has developed a thick skin for such attacks, urging the partisans of LP/CPP to come forth and protect her.
While praising the returnees for retracing their steps towards home, she urged them to remain resolute and principle-minded on what they believe can help the country because there is virtue in being able to stand up and fight for something for the benefit of the country and its people.
“You would have gone to the group who claims to be the biggest opposition, you would have gone to the ruling party to dine with them, but you have decided to stay with the institution.
“Do not change, do not compromise. Liberia needs you. Liberia needs men and women who stand for something. It has come a time to say we will stand for our country; not to compromise, not to break our institution”, she said.
Cllr. Brumskine also used the occasion to provide insight of what led her to choose the side of Musa Hassan Bility during the legal tussle over the control of the party that had Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence of Grand Bassa County claiming to be the political leader of the party.
“I stood silently, I stood for reconciliation; but today people are asking why would you choose to go on one side in the middle of the fight.
“Let me answer you today. I prayed, I studied, I consulted and I knew at the end the side I went to was not the popular side; to stand with Musa Hassan Bility; but it was the right side because they have the interest of the party at heart.
“For those who believe that Brumskine was the right alternative, please come back home. This is the beginning of many things to come to our party and with time, you will know”, she concluded.
The homecoming program was graced by the Standard Bearer of the CPP, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, stalwarts, partisans and sympathizers of the opposition Liberty Party and the Alternative National Congress, the two main constituent members of the CPP.