Tubmanburg — In continuation of its efforts to promote and protect its democratic credentials, the Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP), a constituent member of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), is expected to hold its 2nd National Convention next month, the 10th of December in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.
The LPDP of former Speaker J. Alex Tyler, Sr, is a constituent member of the Coalition for Democratic Change which comprises the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) of current President George Manneh Weah, National Patriotic Party (NPP) of current Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor.
The parties entered into a coalition agreement in 2017, as a way of uniting fronts to participate in that year's legislative and presidential elections. Dubbed the 'Grand Coalition,' they won the President Election, thus becoming the first coalition to have won a presidential election in the history of multiparty politics in Liberia.
The impending convention will be used as a panacea to elect new corps of officers to lead the party at different levels for a period that shall be determined by the delegates to the Convention, according to a release of the party in FPA's possession.
The release also noted that the upcoming convention will bring together delegates from the 15 political sub-divisions of the country to participate in the process. Positions that will be filled include political leader, national chairman, vice chairpersons, national secretary general, youth and women leagues' chairpersons, and county chairpersons, amongst others.
The release further revealed that a formal notice relative to the conduct of the convention has been forwarded to the National Elections Commission (NEC) as required by its Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates.
The LPDP was established on June 14, 2015, with the "overall objective of using democratic and lawful means to reconcile and unite the people of Liberia for national governance, according to inside sources."
The party held its first National Convention in Kakata, Margibi County in 2015. Former House Speaker J. Alex Tyler, Sr. currently serves as its Political Leader, while former Lofa County Representative and current Director General of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), Mr. Moses Y. Kollie is the National Chairman.
The LPDP's convention comes as the ruling coalition begins to put its house in order ahead of the 2023 Legislative and Presidential Elections. The coalition is to renew its agreement and reaffirmed President Weah and VP Taylor as standard bearer and vice standard bearer, respectively.
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For this to happen, constituent parties need to conduct their individual conventions to choose officials that would legitimately represent their respective parties at these negotiations.
Contrary to partisans and observers' expectations of a smooth process, the NPP's biennial convention was marred by violence and confusion that ultimately led it to split into two opposing sides- with VP Howard-Taylor and supporters on one side and Maryland County Senator James Biney and his team on the other divide.
Following the failed convention, the leadership of the Coalition set up a mediation committee headed by Labor Minister Cllr. Charles Gibson to reconcile the two sides, but to date, an amicable solution to the conflict is yet to be reached.
The NPP convention was followed by the Congress for Democratic Change which was somewhat peaceful. In their convention, Mulbah Morlu maintained the chairmanship, while long-serving Youth Chair and current Mayor of Monrovia City, Jefferson Koijee took hold of the Secretary-General post, which had been occupied by the country's Comptroller and Accountant General, Janga Kowo. Obviously, President Weah was chosen as the political and standard bearer.
The spotlight is now turned to the LPDP as partisans and the party's hierarchy descend on Tubmanburg, the home of the party's political leader for their National Convention. The Coalition will be hoping that all goes.
