Monrovia — The Chairman emeritus of the former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) of Liberia Chief Cyril Allen has attributed the growing wave of disenchantment and disgruntlement among partisans and supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) to the failure of the ruling party to live up to the expectations of those who immensely contributed to the victory of the party in 2017.
The NPP is one of the political parties that make up the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). The other parties include Liberian People Democratic Party (LPDP) and the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC).
Chief Allen is the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the NPP and a part of the Governing Council (GC) of the CDC.
He observed that the sacrificial support and loyalty once displayed by partisans and supporters during the opposition days of the CDC have been eroded.
He made these comments when he appeared as guest on 50-50 Talk Show on Sky FM 107 in Monrovia.
People are disgruntled in CDC
Executives and supporters of the political parties that formed part of the CDC are divided ahead of the 2023 general and presidential elections.
There are reports that the NPP is also planning to leave the CDC on grounds that the party has not been treated fairly in terms of job distribution by the presidency in keeping with the document which prompted the merger of the three parties.
Some executives also believe that the party, which came to power based on the 'Change for Hope' and the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) platform has not lived up to the aspirations of its partisans and supporters.
As a result of this, Chief Allen admitted that some partisans and supporters of the CDC are "disgruntled" within all political parties that make up the coalition.
He observed that the just-ended euphoria which characterized the 17th anniversary celebration of the CDC was not compared to the past because people are demanding and expecting more from the party which has ascended to power.
Chief Allen admitted that some members of the steering committee of the party were compelled to move into the communities and other areas to mobilize citizens to attend the celebration.
He recalled that partisans and supporters of the CDC previously printed their own t-shirts and walked to and from the party headquarters in Congo Town, but the narratives have changed.
"The committee had to do a lot of mobilization; they had to go out to the towns and some of the suburbs of Montserrado and other places to bring in the partisans. It is not the history of the CDC but we expect that. CDC at the time was a leading opposition and people had the desire and quest for power. Now CDC is a ruling establishment and the cluster has changed. People will expect or demand more from the CDC now. So you will see the dynamics with change because politics is progressive".
He attributed the growing wave of disenchantment and disgruntlement among vast majority of partisans and supporters of the CDC due to the failure of the ruling party to live up to the expectations of the Liberian people
"Campaigning or lobbying as an opposition with mass and sacrificial supports is different from participating as a ruling establishment-you expect more from the establishment and when you do not have that, it leads to people being disgruntled and disenchanted.".
CDC divided
Chief Allen admitted that the CDC is "divided" because the expectations of the citizenry remain high.
He said the passion most partisans and supporters have for the CDC, does not in any way match with the benefits that are coming to them.
He pointed out that many of those who supported the CDC in 2017 thought that their lives were going to change.
"NPP is split because of the disagreement between the Standard Bearer and the National Chairman. But as it is going now and Chairman of the Advisory Board, we have put our feet down now and we have taken a position. We do not take sides and I do not take side with the Standard Bearer or the National Chairman because both of them are equally responsible for the division in the NPP. We must be concern about the division in the Congress, NPP and divisions in other collaborating political parties"
Chief Allen disclosed that the internal wrangling and power struggle within the NPP is currently before the Supreme Court of Liberia and a final determination is expected to be made in the "next few days" in keeping with the party's constitution.
Convention will decide NPP fate in CDC
Following the ruling, he pointed out that the NPP will go to convention to elect a new corps of officers, a move that will return the party to normalcy.
"At the convention, we will elect a new corps of officers and give them a new set of mandate. That mandate also include the next step whether or not to proceed with the Coalition".
He emphasized that diverse views are accepted in every political institution and as such, the NPP is of no exception.
Chief Allen maintained that interest of various executives and individuals within the NPP will breed conflict within the party, but with good leadership those divisions will be "plastered up" and the party forge ahead.
He disclosed that the current division within the NPP is straightly based on leadership and constitution lines.
"The division does not come from membership or participation within the Coalition. It comes from the constitution base of the leadership where the Standard Bearer believes that she is the leader of the party-of course, she is; the National Chairman feels that he is the administrator of the party and those are facts by the constitution".
Chief Allen observed that the current crisis within the NPP is creating "bottlenecks in the cooperation and collaboration with the Coalition of which we are member".
"You will expect that a part of a part is a part of a whole. If there is a division in one of the parties, unlike the LPDP where there is no division under Alex Tyler, they are all together and it is easy to deal with them to make a decision on where to go when the time comes, but the NPP is a little bit difficult. We have to now narrow up our differences which straightly on the basis of our constitution".
He was quick to point out that the situation within the NPP has nothing to do with the membership or participation within the Coalition.
He stated that despite the impasse within the NPP, both the Standard Bearer and National Chairman of the NPP are deeply and concerned with the involvement of the party with the activities of the CDC.
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"Our differences have to do with the internal leadership of the NPP and that's what we want people out there to understand. Yes, it affects our membership with the Coalition because we are a participating member and we are very active in the mobilization and extension of the Coalition".
Chief Allen bragged that the merger of the NPP with the other political parties brought the CDC to prominence in Liberia.
Meddling the pieces
He, used the medium to point out that a committee has been established by the CDC to review the framework document which brought the three parties together.
According to him, the committee will also synchronize the document within a seven-month period to address, define and narrow the misunderstandings within each and every political party of the Coalition.
Chief Allen pointed out that corridors will also be opened to welcome other political parties and partisans to the CDC,
He, however, expressed the hope that those issues within the CDC will be addressed prior to the end of this year.
He said the CDC remains obligated to improve the country for not only its partisans but members of the general public.
Chief Allen said functionaries in government should take the "bull by the horn" by ensuring that promises made by the ruling party are actualized.
He stressed the need for President George Manneh Weah to reshuffle, demote or dismiss public officials who are poorly performing in his government.
