Cummings Out of Political Sabbatical -Speaks to Legislative Leadership Battle, Other Critical Issues

MONROVIA – Having been politically silent on issues affecting the country following the grueling 2023 presidential and legislative in which his defunct Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) performed dismally, renowned businessman-turned-politician Alexander B. Cummings has reentered the political arena. The ANC leader, in a no holds barred press conference, articulated a wide of range of national issues, including the ongoing Legislative leadership imbroglio which he believes could adversely affect Liberia’s bid for the non-permanent UN Security Council seat. As The Analyst reports.

Speaking during his first media engagement of the year on Thursday, February 13, 2025, Alternative National Congress (ANC) Political Leader Alexander B. Cummings said, among other things, that the burning issues plaguing the nation, specifically the ongoing legislative leadership battle is particularly creating a negative perception about the country within the region, and this could also impact Liberia’s bid for the UN Security Council non-permanent seat.

“I have been travelling around the region and the perception of what is happening in our legislature is not good,” he said. “There are clear rules about how you elect a speaker, and there are clear rules about how you get rid of a speaker. Those rules were not followed. That perception is not good for Liberia.

“We are aspiring to go to the UN Security Council to contest one of Africa’s non-permanent seat. That is not a good thing. But our bid will not be helped by the fact that people will look at us and say you want to come to the UN Security Council to help mediate, to provide leadership, but look at what’s happening in your own house. This is why it is important that the actors, including the president and all the key actors, need to get in a room and they shouldn’t leave until they find a resolution. But we cannot continue like this indefinitely. It’s not good for the country. We must be clear who the speaker of this country is.”

Quizzed by journalists on what he perceived could have been the reason that the voters did not rally to his cause despite the strong message he sent about the need for change, the ANC Political Leader said he and his team did their utmost to convince the voters to choose an alternative path that could improve their lives, but they chose a different direction.

“Let me also in this public manner acknowledge and thank all our supporters. We worked hard. We did our best to make our case. We spent our own time and resources,” he asserted. “We didn’t use government money; we did not loot money to make our case. But Liberians chose a different direction, and we accept that decision. President Joseph Boakai is our president, and as I said, after the election, we wish him well. His success is Liberia’s success; his success is our success, and so we acknowledge his victory, and so again, we wish him success.”

“However, our key messages haven’t changed. You can’t keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results. If we want Liberia to change, if we want our country to move forward, if we want to reduce the poverty in our country, we have to do many things differently as a country, our country’s institutions, as individuals, we have to do things differently. And another key message that still resonates is that Liberia deserves better. We deserve better as a people, as a country.”

Asked where he had been since the elections 2023, Cummings told journalists he had been around, traveling here and there been mostly on the ground in Liberia.

He disclosed it was important to take some time off, to step back, to retrospect, to consult, to listen to others, and to observe as to give the government a chance to do the Liberian people’s work.

“But now we are prepared to offer our point of view,” he added. “We will be prudent, we will be thoughtful, we will be strategic about our presence and visibility.”

According to Cummings the message of change is even more relevant in Liberia today than ever, recalling that “we proposed fundamental changes, and those changes were threatening to the political class.”

He said one senator actually said to me after the election that they all understood the ANC’s aspirations for the country, but they didn’t see where they would fit in that change, quoting that official as saying “We viewed that change as threatening to us.

“If you think about it, the way Liberia works today benefits a few hundred people, and they happen to be the political class. Those are the ones who we allow to define us. And so, our message of change still resonates. Perhaps we didn’t do a good enough job of communicating that message, because it was about investing in the Liberian people. Investing in education, healthcare, infrastructure, to be consistent in fighting corruption, and not being selective. Stopping the stealing. Prosecuting people who do that. Those were all parts of our messages which are still relevant today.”

Regarding his perception about the performance of the Joseph Nyuma Boakai administration after one year in office, Cummings said, sadly the Rescue Mission has scored so many own goals that Liberians are losing hope.

“When you take responsibility for leading a country, organization or company, the first thing you try to do is not to score an own goal,” the ANC Political Leader continue: “The Boakai administration scored an own goal with the yellow machine. What happened with tenured officials is another own goal. The whole issue around asset declaration is another own goal. I just saw an announcement today where officials will be suspended in that regard; I am glad it’s happening and I applaud the president for that announcement, but why didn’t he talk about that a while ago?”

He said the most important question though, is whether the Liberian people are better off one year later than they were one year ago.

“Today, are there more jobs available? Is the cost of living the same or getting higher? Are there more medical supplies in our clinics and hospitals around the country? The answers to those questions must be given by the citizens of this country, not by Alexander Cummings,” the ANC Political Leader said.

Speaking to the glowing projections from global financial institutions about the expected increase in GDP by 2025 for Liberia, Mr. Cummings said while those are good headline numbers from the IMF and the World Bank, it is left to be seen if Liberian people feeling the benefits of those numbers?

“Those headline numbers are good, and we have to applaud them, but is it filtering down to the Liberian people or is it just reflecting the fact that we are exporting more iron ore, gold; so the extractive industries are growing and therefore GDP is growing; but is the average Liberian experiencing that?

“Are our policies impacting young people? Are our medical facilities getting better? Are we investing in primary healthcare? Are we investing in agriculture? Is the farmer feeling that 5% GDP growth? Liberians will be ones to answer those questions.”

The business tycoon-cum-political would then disclose that, as a patriotic Liberian, he is investing in Liberia but is worried about the business environment which he considered not too conducive.

He asserted: “I am an investor in Liberian businesses. I have invested in two. One is not so successful. One is still very successful. I don’t make that public because in this environment, those businesses, people will go after them. They will be harassed, regulatorily, tax-wise. We are also exploring other opportunities to invest in Liberia, but until the business environment is conducive, it will be hard to attract others to come and join us to invest in businesses in Liberia. But we are not going to give up.”