CPP Receives Joseph Boakai as UP Standard Bearer

Monrovia – The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has described the Unity Party’s candidate for the CPP’s primary as the only qualified candidate for the primary.

The CPP is the conglomeration of four different opposition political parties coming together to form one party.

The CPP is expected to go for its primary come in December.

The four parties made up of the CPP include the Unity Party (UP), Liberty Party (LP), Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the All Liberian Party (ALP).

According to the Framework Agreement of the CPP, all political parties in the collaboration are to submit the name of its candidates before the primary, thus qualifying them (parties) to part take in the process.

Over the weekend, the former ruling Unity Party held its endorsement ceremony putting forth former Vice President Joseph Boakai as its candidate for the CPP primary as called for by the framework of the CPP.

During the presentation ceremony at the Headquarters of the Unity Party, the Political leader of the Liberty Party, and chairperson of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP), Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence acknowledged receipt of UP’s communication declaring Amb. Boakai as the party’s candidate.

Senator Karnga-Lawrence said Amb. Boakai is the only qualified candidate for the CPP primary as far as the CPP’s Framework document is concerned.

“CPP has a timeline for all these things so we want to encourage those interested to come now. We will announce the schedules in the next few days, we hope that political parties who are interested in participating in this process of the standard bearership will present their candidates,” Mrs. Karnga-Lawrence said.

Former Liberia’s Vice President Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai was endorsed and presented as the opposition Unity Party aspirant for the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) impending processes of the CPP’s standard bearer which is scheduled for December of this year.

The Unity Party Chairman, Amin Modad in a brief remarks said the Unity Party is back to give hope to the Liberian people, while presenting Amb. Boakai as the party’s endorsed and prepared aspirant for the CPP’s processes.

Chairman Modad said in the party recent sitting, the National Executive Committee debated for hours and made several decisions on the current state as well as the future of Liberia and Unity Party.

“These decisions were made in accordance with democratic principles and guided by our belief that we have a far-fetching responsibility not only as partisans but as Liberians to put forward the best leadership for our people. We come formally to reconfirm our confidence in Amb. Boakai as our candidate for CPP process,” Chairman Modad said.

Chairman Modad indicated that the challenges ahead are enormous but resolvable and encourages Amb. Boakai to ensure that the aspirations of partisans, and citizens remain paramount.

Chairman Modad said they believe in the collaboration and are confident that each political leader and their party bring qualities and strength that together will deliver victory in 2023.

Unity Party National Chairman Modad said in 2017 Liberia was robbed of the opportunity to be great and also taken of the progressive course laid over the previous 12 years.

“Liberians were robbed of a leadership that would have empowered each citizen to explore their true potentials and leadership that would have ensured the enabling business environment for both foreign and domestic investors to thrive,” Chairman Modad said

Chairman Modad who is also a businessman said Liberian entrepreneurs were denied the opportunity to become competitive and empowered and not remains as spectators. He said Liberian children were also robbed of education system that would make them competitive and useful citizens.

Though chairman Modad did not mention “block” voting by the party, some stalwarts of Unity Party have said the party will do “block” voting, which means of the over 300 voters of Unity Party, only an individual will cast a single ballot for the party.

Saturday’s program brought together political leader of the Liberty Party and chairperson of the CPP, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence and political leader of the opposition All Liberian Party, Benoni W. Urey and stalwarts of Unity Party as well as lawmakers of the party.

The political leader of the All Liberian Party (ALP), Benoni W. Urey said the presentation of Amb. Boakai to the CPP begins the process of making the next President of Liberia.

Mr. Urey said he was delighted to see youth from Liberty Party, Unity Party and the All Liberian Party gracing the endorsement and presentation of Amb. Boakai to the CPP as it shows that the CPP will remain together.

Mr. Urey despite the difficulties and abuses from various political parties’ partisans, they will do all to remain together to liberate the Liberian people comes 2023 and admonished partisans to ensure the success of collaboration as the battle ahead depend on them.

“We must recommit and dedicate ourselves and our resources to ensuring that we meet our goal. ALP continuously reconfirms its commitment to the Amb. Boakai and calls on every partisan to devote their time and resources towards the processes and victory of Amb. Boakai,” he said.

He lauded Unity Party for timely electing its standard bearer to participate in the impending CPP’s primary, stating “you have done what the framework asks for and congratulations.”

Mr. Urey said the ALP will be looking at the issue of “block” voting during the party upcoming meeting, while describing the Unity Party decision.

Making special statement, Amb. Boakai said his endorsement as standard bearer of Unity Party as history making and a step closer to the 2023 general and presidential elections.

“I consider this preferment a great honor and a privilege to serve my people and Liberia. As I accept this challenge with humility today, I call on all Liberians, those at home and in the diaspora, to join in the political struggle to put the nation back on track,” Amb. Boakai said.

Amb. Boakai said given what the country and people have gone through in the past three years, they must reclaim Liberia, free Liberia and Liberians from the shackles of corruption, impunity and economic misery and that is the job they are set to do beginning September 11, 2021.

He calls on all Liberians to join the CPP to “Liberate” Liberia from the woes of hardship and lack of direction and bring the motherland back on the true path of peace, harmony and development.

“You will agree with me that the vital democratic institutions, from our economy to the Rule of Law, have all hit an all-time low due to mismanagement of the nation’s resources, both natural and financial. They have shown complete disregard for the cries of the people. It therefore has become clear that the responsibility to change the course is desperately needed,” Amb. Boakai said.

Amb. Boakai said there is a to really put Liberians in charge of the economy, set livable salaries for them, make all social services functional in order to restore dignity to the nation and the Liberian people.

“The task of nation building is a task of sacrifice, a task in which all Liberians must be involved and make sure that all of our people, no matter their political background, religious affiliation, economic status is involved in the fight against corruption, gross disregard for the rule of law and other vices that have undermined our peace and security as a people,” he said.

He said the Liberians remain resolute in their confidence in CPP and must not disappoint them, stating “we must put the interest of the Liberian people first.”

Source: Front Page Africa