The National Democratic Party of Liberia (NDPL) has distanced itself from media reports that it has officially pledged or given its support to the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) for next Tuesday's Senatorial Election Runoff, saying that no decision at the level of the National Executive Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, has yet been reached.

NDPL, a former ruling party of Liberia, according to media reports was one of two parties that pledged support to the CDC's candidate Geraldine Doe-Sheriff. The two parties were quoted as making the pronouncement at a joint press conference headed by Liberty Party's Chairman Israel Akinsanya and attended by officials of the CDC.

However, reacting to the reports, NDPL's former chairman, J. Hodoo Mariam who walked into the offices of The Analyst described the report as untrue because "the National Executive Committee of the party had not met to decide on whom to support in the runoff."

"What is not true is that the executive had not met to make a decision," he said and added "whosoever made the pronouncement has his/her individual rights to decide what they want to do."

In essence, the former Chairman who described himself as a staunch member of the party was hammering home an understanding that the person who attended the press conference during which the pronouncement was made did so in his own name, political observers claimed.

He told this paper that the party will make an official decision as to who to support on today Friday, at a general mass meeting of Executive Committee members and other partisans. Apparently enraged by the pronouncement which he said has no iota of truth, Mr. Mariam warned that the NDPL should not be taken for granted by people with egoistic inclination.

"NDLP is not a play party; NDPL is not a club. It is an institution that is respected and ruled this country for over ten years. No little boy can come up and say we align with Liberty Party and the CDC. This brings surprise to us," he said while responding to an inquiry whether the party was falling party to the extent that anyone can say anything about in the media.

Given the gravity of the pronouncement and the unforeseen political consequence it may bring to bear on the party, he said they will be left with no alternative but to take a punitive action against the person responsible for the action. He blamed Michael Nayou whom he called as "little boy" as being the action.

Falling short to describe what the punitive action would they consider when quizzed, the NDPL official however said it was not a surprise that Nayou had gone to that extent of making unilateral decision or pronouncement in the name of the party because according to him "little boy talks because they want to talk."

Before the party can decide what to do in a given situation, he indicated they at the level of decision-making always get together, and make sure that whatever they approve is backed to the teeth. He said, in keeping with their motto, whosoever the party gets behind in a particular race for a particular reason such as the pending runoff between the CDC and UP, that person bounds to win.

The party, for the past months, has been at the center of controversy over chairmanship between two groups. A group led by Michael Nayou who is accused of unilaterally selling the party to the CDC is claiming the position while Mr. David Nyandeh Sieh who has been in the position but his opponents claimed to have overthrown is fighting back.

According to observers, the situation in the party is so precarious to the extent that it is difficult for the partisans to know who to listen to or take order from. But insistently, the former NDPL chairman said whatever decision Nayou made does not represent that of the entire party because it did not meet the approbation, consent and advice of the National Executive Committee.

"The chairman has no power; he is just a mouthpiece and that power/decision must be given to him before he makes the pronouncement. But this pronouncement is unilaterally done. So we are saying it is not an NDLP decision," Mr. Mariam said angrily in a tone that slightly gave recognition to Nayou's chairmanship.

Asked as to why the party did not field a candidate in the by-elections, he responded "We knew there would be a runoff and we wanted to make sure that we make a decision in the runoff, but not individuals coming up to subject the party to another party."

The former NDPL chairman said the party is stable and that their partisans are mature people who can differentiate between what is good and bad for them, meaning that they would not be swayed by the unilateral pronouncement made thus far. The National Democratic Party of Liberia was founded in 1984 by slain President Samuel Kanyon Doe and a year later took state power in an election that was marred by frauds.

At the same time, the NDPL is citing all National Executive Committee Members, founding members and senior partisans to a very important meeting on today Friday, November 20, 2009 at 3:00pm. According to a press statement quoting party chairman, Mr. David Nyandeh Sieh, the venue of the meeting will be the St. Paul Bridge Community residence of partisan George Dweh, II, Senior Partisan and former Speaker of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly (NTLA).

The party statement said during the meeting, matters surrounding the runoff between the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and the ruling Unity Party (UP) and also the review and adoption of the budget for pending 5th National Convention will be highlighted.

The NDPL concluded the statement by reemphasizing that it has not reached any decision in supporting any of the candidates in the runoff. "The decision to support any candidate will be reached during the Friday Executive Committee Meeting," the statement quoted chairman Sieh as concluding.