MONROVIA : The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) on Friday, August 18, 2023 made good its intention of forming the next government when it announced an 800-member campaign team reflecting geographical balance and the country’s cultural and traditional political diversity with the appointment of Dr. Togar McIntosh as National Campaign Advisor, and Mr. Lewis Browne as National Campaign Chairman. The Standard Bearer Alexander B. Cummings expressed explicit confidence of emerging victorious ahead of other competitors in the race.
During an elaborate program held at the National Headquarters of the party which was attended by a mammoth crowd comprising partisans, supporters and well- wishers, the CPP also named the local campaign chairpersons for the 15 counties, delegating them with the authority to select other committed and dedicated partisans as team members to conduct and coordinate the CPP campaign actives in the various counties.
Standard Bearer Cummings, who announced the first batch of county-level campaign team, including local chairmen and deputies, also confirmed that all CPP legislative aspirants will serve as campaign advisors.
Weah’s one-round victory mantra a mirage
The announcement meant that the initial forerunner of his engagement initiative with the citizens throughout of the country, “Team Cummings”, will now cease to exist, although majority of the composition found their way back in the enlarged national campaign which will be headed by Ambassador Lewis Brown, who was one of the leading persons in the Team Cummings structure. There was a new addition of a Board of Advisors which is headed by Dr. Togar McCintosh who equally served as a leading member of Team Cummings.
Having asked the audience to stand and observe a minute of silence for the recent death of the former National Chairman of Alternative National Congress (ANC), a constituent member of the CPP, Mr. Cummings delivered a short but incisively inspiring address where he aroused the enthusiasm and optimism of the mammoth crowd of partisans, supporters and well-wishers who had defied the earlier downpour of rain to witness the announcement of the national campaign team which also included campaign structures in the 15 counties.
He dismissed the one-round victory mantra of the President and the CDC by asserting that if he (Weah) could not pull through such victory at the peak of his popularity and the general goodwill of Liberians where he could only garner 38% of the total votes, “there is no way, with his bad records of corruption, bad governance, ineptitude, failed promises and sluggish economy, that Liberians are going to elect him in the first round”. Cummings averred that in fact, the only ticket “that can win the first round is the Alexander B. Cumming and Charlyne Brumskine ticket”.
Being upbeat that Liberians will make the right choice in his favor as the only candidate who has the requisite experience, integrity and capacity to lead the country to prosperity, he told the large crowd that there was no way of looking elsewhere, because the choice is very clear to Liberians, to choose from the past, the present or a better future. “The best choice for Liberia is the Alexander B. Cummings and Charlyne Brumskine ticket”, the CPP leader said emphatically.
He said only a CPP-led government can lift Liberia out of its economic dungeon, restore good governance, attract direct foreign investments for massive job creation, maintain law and order, combat corruption and drug smuggling, and guarantee a better life for Liberians.
The businessman-turned-politician described the naming of the campaign team as one of the most significant steps towards the actualization of his ambition to become the next President of Liberia, and urged the CPP not to toy with the herculean task ahead. He further used the occasion to remind President Weah to ensure the maintenance of peace in the country as his cardinal responsibility.
“Today, we are officially embarking on our journey to the Executive Mansion. Today, we are officially taking off our journey to the Presidency. Today, we are giving birth to a responsible government that will be accountable to all Liberians.
“Today we should recognize the 20th anniversary for signing of the Accra Peace Accord; and so, on behalf of the CPP and in my own name, I call for peace to reign in the country, especially during the election. I want to remind President Weah that it is his responsibility as President of the country to maintain peace in Liberia. It is his responsibility as President to ensure a free and fair election”, he said.
The number one partisan of CPP said the aspiration and needs of Liberians are glaring for any serious contender to see, and that no amount of rhetoric and guesswork can ever make Liberians to evade the issues that are paramount to their conditions and future, maintaining that the Cummings-Brumskine ticket provides the pathway to addressing the myriad of problems facing the country.
“Liberians want better jobs, Liberians want better roads, Liberians want better opportunities, Liberians want electricity, Liberians want better drinking water, Liberians want to be safe, Liberians want a better future, Liberians want a better health care, Liberians want a better education system, Liberians want real change and the only ticket that can guarantee them is the Alexander B. Cummings and Charlyne Brumskine ticket”, he said amid cheers.
He told the people that obtaining the change they are yearning for will not come on a platter of gold. “We will have to work hard, and should be able to make sacrifices”, he said, adding that from the time of announcing the national campaign team up to October 10, 2023 when Liberians will be casting their ballots for the next government, all Liberians will be part of the CPP campaign team and all Liberians should combine forces to make sure they make Mr. Weah a one-term President.
Perhaps what could be seen as Cummings’ message resonating with young people, especially the first-time voters, was the cacophonous chanting of battle cries and songs from the surging crowd.
“When I was 16, I promised Cummings when I reached 18, I will vote for Cummings. Now that I have reached 18, I will vote for Cummings”, was the lyric from one of the many songs serenaded by the first-time voters.
Earlier, the CPP Standard Bearer was introduced and presented to the people by former Bong County Senator Henry Yallah, who is also a campaign lead for the CPP in Bong County. Mr. Yallah showered praises on Cummings, saying Cumings is the best among the pack of 19 other presidential candidates.
“I am honored to be asked to introduce someone God has chosen to change this country. I am proud to be part of the history to make Liberia better. This man is a Liberian who is better placed to bring in a better government; the man who will give you a responsible government, a government that will cater to you and represent you better; this is a man who will head that government that will be elected on October 10, this year.
“Honorable Cummings, the Standard Bearer of the CPP, comes from Maryland, but he is Liberia-centered and prepared to change Liberia. I am honored to introduce to you, to present to you, the next President of Liberia, Honorable Alexander B. Cummings”, Yallah said amid jubilation from the crowd.
In his welcome remarks, the National Chairman of the CPP, Musa Hassan Bility, said it was a new dawn for the Liberian people as they approached the October 10, 2023 general elections with the CPP poised to take state power. In his short remarks, he put the audience in an anticipatory mood to receive the names of the national campaign team.
“Are you ready for your campaign team, are you ready for the real change, are you ready to change your present condition, are you ready for a new Liberia, are you ready for ABC, are you ready for the Fixer? Okay, just be patient and attentive, very soon you will know the campaign team, those who will be spearheading the process that will bring real change with Mr. Alexander B. Cummings and Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine”, he said.
Mr. Bility, who came to the program wearing a white CPP branded T-Shirt with the photo of Cummings and Brumskine, and marked with the inscription “The Fixers”, had earlier set the venue of the program in a celebratory mood when he arrived and disembarked from his vehicle and experienced a tough time going through the mammoth crowd. As he made his way through the crowd, a number of supporters ran towards him to greet him, but were shielded away by his personal security guard who led him to his office in the building.
Several persons also spoke at the occasion including Representative Yekeh Kolubah of District # 10, Montserrado County who is seeking re-election. He denounced the “inept and corrupt leadership” of President Weah and said Liberians will dare not give him a second term on October 10, 2023. He said it is high time that all the differences within the opposition be put aside and all efforts should be targeted at democratically removing President Weah and the CDC. He re-emphasized his numerous calls for opposition unity, stating that Liberians are behind the opposition to unseat the President whom he said had lost the confidence of the Liberian people.
Also speaking at the program, River Gee Senator Jonathan Sogbie said there was a dire need for Liberians to change from “this irresponsible administration of President George Weah to a responsible government led by Mr. Cummings,” who he said has an enviable world record of achievements and successes.
Mr. Dan Morias, who is contesting the senatorial seat in Maryland County on the platform of the CPP, said he was happy that Liberians from all walks of life are getting the message that Mr. Cummings is “the only hope for real change in Liberia” and that they should never be deterred from ensuring that Cummings and the entire CPP ticket come out victorious.
He said earlier this year, Cummings made a symbolic visit to his ancestral home in Karloway District, Maryland County, where he got the blessings of his people, which he described as key to motivating Cummings to aspire for the highest position in the land.
It was stated at the program that the full list of the campaign team will be published in the local newspapers subsequently.
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