NEC Certificates Liberia’s Newest Political Party -As Political Leader Bility Calls for Budgetary Support to Nimba By-elections

MONROVIA – The political leader of Liberia’s newly certified political institution, Mr. Musa Hassan Bility of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), has extolled the national electoral ombudsman, the National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC), for maintaining an enviable legacy in certificating his newly formed political institution, and setting a historical precedent in presiding over and ensuring that the most contested election in the country’s post war history was untampered, and respected by the will of the Liberian people. Seizing the moment after the official certification of his CMC, Nimba County District #7 Representative, and Political Leader of the CMC, Musa Hassan Bility, called on the government of Liberia to provide the necessary budgetary support to the National Elections Commission in conducting the April 2025 Nimba County Senatorial Byelections that is to set to be held in the wake of the death of Senator Prince Y. Johnson in November 2024.

“We are happy today that you’ve given the opportunity to exercise our constitutional right to be a political party. We hope that this Commission and the legacy that you’ve set to certify us, that history will recall you that you presided over the most contested election in the history of our country, and you ensured that the election was not tempered with, and the will of the Liberian people was respected. With all that you, with all that you’ve done, history will never forget you, and history will never forget that moment.

“We want to use this small time to call on the Ministry of Finance that the National Elections Commission has submitted a budget for the elections in Nimba. The CMC is calling on the government to understand that Nimba being the second most populated county in Liberia, is currently underrepresented, and therefore, 2 million people are not adequately represented in the legislature. So, as a country that contributes more than $150 million of the budget of this country, we call on the government to come out with the requisite money that has being approved to the Ministry of Finance so that our election can be conducted,” Mr. Bility said.

The CMC Political Leader also said that his political party will be part of the pending Nimba County Senatorial byelections. “We want to also announce here that the CMC will also be a part of that election. We have a candidate that will be unveiled tomorrow in Nimba County to be our incoming senator.

“We also want to use this time to inform the people of Liberia that, for the future functioning of our democracy, the CMC will also call for reforms of our election laws so that we can strengthen the financial autonomy of the Elections Commission, and also to establish an election and adjudication court, which will make it much easier for the Elections Commission to focus on its work of monitoring and managing our elections.

“I want to say thanks to the Political Affairs of the Elections Commission. This is our first experience, and we experienced no hiccups. Despite the rumors of our party being registered in circles, it never affected the Elections Commission’s reaction to us. Professionally, all our documents once they were reviewed, you made no call to us, you didn’t do anything to hinder this process.

“For the first time, a party has come to Liberia that will look like no other political party. We will institutionalize the business of politics in Liberia. We have at a time when we are four or five years to elections; this is unusual, and that is because we want to make sure that we are seated and represented across the country to make sure that Liberian people are finally given a third choice.

“We have had the opportunity as people to dangle ourselves between two political parties for more than 20 years, with little choice to look the other way. In four years, the CMC will give you that opportunity.

Earlier, during certification the CMC, NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah acknowledged that the CMC had met all the legal requirements for registration as a bona fide political institution in the Republic of Liberia.

“This certificate reads the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) having fulfilled all the requirements for registration as a political party as provided for in Article 79 of the Constitution of Liberia and the National Elections Commission guidelines and regulations relating to the formation and registration of political parties to operate within the republic of Liberia, for so doing, the National Commission Elections hereby declares and accredits the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) as a duly registered political party with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto. Given under our hands and seal of the Commission on this 7th day of March A.D. 2025,” Chairperson Lansanah said.

Commissioner Josephine Kou Gaye, for her part, said to the CMC that it is an enjoyable day that they have been officially recognized to operate throughout Liberia. “It is expected of you to uphold the principles of democracy, which includes inclusion. As I earlier indicated, we have our six women which is one of the representation of votes. If Liberia should progress, and women make more than 50% of the voter roll, whenever we come to an occasion like this, we expect that to be translated in all of our activities,” she said.

Speaking officially on behalf of the CMC, National Chairman James Yougie said his political institution is here to leave a legacy, unlike any other political party in the country’s century-old struggle for democratic governance.

“We are happy and honored today, It is our hope and desire that this party makes Liberia better. I want the world and Liberia to know that the CMC is here. We are here to help make Liberia livable for all; we are here to make democracy work; we are here sure that justice has a place, that every Liberian can have his or her voice heard and desires met,” Chairman Yougie said.