The All Liberian Coalition Party (ALCOP), the party that secured fourth place in the October 10 presidential elections with 35,988 votes (1.96%), has chosen to throw its support behind the opposition Unity Party’s Joseph Boakai in the November 14 runoff election against the incumbent, President George Weah. However, ALCOP’s vice standard bearer has declared his support for Weah.
ALCOP announced their endorsement of the former Vice President at an elaborate program held at its campaign headquarters along the Japan Freeway on Thursday.
The party’s political leader, Lusinee Kamara, emphasized in his endorsement speech that the party’s primary focus is addressing governance challenges, ensuring human rights, and promoting justice. He also stressed the importance of comprehensive social security services, economic policy reforms, and increased investment opportunities.
Kamara further stated that ALCOP aims to boost Liberia’s National Budget, enhance the quality of education, and implement sustainable programs for youth and job creation. Additionally, the party seeks to improve infrastructure development, including transportation, communication, and healthcare delivery, as well as ensuring access to safe water supplies for all Liberians.
Kamara remarked, “Fellow citizens and distinguished partisans of ALCOP, these values are the guiding lights for our policies that inform our decisions for alignment with any political institutions. They are not just about labels or limited benefits to a group of citizens. Instead, they are about a vision for a better and more equitable future for all Liberians. They are also about giving every citizen the opportunity to realize their full potential, regardless of their backgrounds, thereby creating a society that fosters growth, unity, peace, justice, shared prosperity, and national progress for all.”
He added, “As we move forward to the runoff election, ALCOP has gathered support through intensive consultations that have enabled us to generate brilliant ideas from partisans, party officials, traditional elders, and prelates. These consultations are the major drivers of our decision for alignment.”
Kamara concluded, “Now, therefore, fellow Liberians and distinguished partisans, we, the officials and members of the All Liberian Coalition Party, hereby endorse the presidential bid of the standard bearer of the Unity Party, Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai.”
The ALCOP Political Leader also revealed that their collaboration with the Unity Party will ensure a concerted collaborative campaign strategy and rigorous poll watching efforts to secure a victory for the Unity Party in the runoff election. He requested that ALCOP’s manifesto be considered in the formulation of Liberia’s governing policies and the establishment of an inclusive government.
ALCOP Vice Standard Bearer Endorses CDC
On the other hand, the Vice Standard Bearer of ALCOP, Mr. Matthew V.Z. Darblo, expressed his support for President George Weah in the runoff election during a press conference held in Monrovia.
Darblo claimed that the entirety of his party has thrown its support behind President Weah’s re-election bid. This endorsement, he claimed, is based on the rationale that President Weah’s ongoing initiatives and commitment to completing unfinished projects over the past five years are aligned with the nation’s best interests.
Mr. Darblo conveyed his belief that Liberia has reached a critical juncture where a pivotal decision must be made for the nation’s development. He stressed that President Weah’s re-election would grant him the necessary time and mandate to see through these unfinished tasks.
He emphasized that the decision to support President Weah’s re-election was not made unilaterally but was reached after extensive consultations with other executive members of ALCOP. The collective consensus within ALCOP has firmly endorsed President Weah’s re-election, without any political influence or inducement.
CPP Goes Behind Weah, Too?
As for the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), which comprises the Liberty Party (LP) and the Alternative National Congress (ANC), they are expected to announce whom they will support in the runoff election today. However, sources within the CPP suggest that the majority of its leadership favors the ruling CDC.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that the CPP held a tense meeting on Wednesday in which the majority expressed their preference for the CDC, but the Standard Bearer had initially opted for the party to remain neutral. However, he later succumbed to the will of the majority and requested to remain neutral as an individual while the will of the majority prevails.
Mr. Cummings confirmed this in a statement he issued on Thursday evening, announcing his neutrality while the CPP’s Executive Committee prepares to announce their stance today.
Cummings stated, “I have asked the parties, and they have agreed to allow me to not take a side. Among several important reasons, we believe this will afford the balanced perspective needed to continue to engage, as the CPP has demanded that I do, with all of our political, religious, traditional, and other national leaders, including with Liberians of all political, social, and economic standing.”
Cummings, however, clarified that the CPP’s decision to support one of the two parties in the runoff election was based on findings from the five-member committee headed by Vice Standard Bearer Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine, which was set up to hold discussions with the CDC and the UP on the conditions for their support.
Cummings added, “The objective of those discussions was to get commitments from the two parties for the incorporation and implementation of important elements, which we believe to be critical for the much-needed improvements in the governance of our country and the lives of all Liberians. CPP refuses to offer blind support without any reasonable commitments to change from the two parties.”
Source: Front Page Africa
