... says Cummings
The political leader of the Alternative National Congress-ANC and a member of the Collaborating political parties, CPP said he will not breakaway from the CPP even he does not become the standard bearer of the party at the end of the upcoming convention.
He made the statement in an interview with the Voice of America(VOA) over the weekend.
Mr. Cummings said, a divided party is not good for Liberia and the CPP was the best alternative to lead the country. "I think we need to run the process. If we followed the process we have agreed and the outcome is that somebody else, if, it is former Vice President Joe Boakai wins the nomination, I will support. I will not go and start another and break away. I will not do that because this is about the country. It's not about myself. But I want to run the process and will live with the outcome of that decision, whatever decision is made by the partisans of the CPP... "
According to him, the CPP) is not in crisis, rather, supporters of various leaders of the CPP who competing to head the CPP ticket for the 2023 presidential election, have personalized the competition and giving the impression of a crisis within.
The CPP is a combination of four opposition political parties working together to unseat president Weah in the 2023 presidential elections. President Weah's party is in collaboration with three parties-The Congress for Democratic Change, The National Patriotic Party and Liberia Peoples Democratic Party of the former speaker, Alex Tyler.
The CPP is a combination of the ANC, the former ruling Unity Party (UP) led by former Vice President Joseph Boakai, All Liberian Party headed by Benoni Urey and the Liberty Party headed by Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence.
It can be recalled that the political leader of the All Liberian Party, Mr. Benoni Urey alleged that the CPP document was altered, quoting trusted sources. He urged the chairman of CPP to recall the document from the National Elections Commission (NEC). But
Wrote Mr. Urey: "Madam Chair, this letter essentially seeks to inform you that the All Liberian Party (ALP) has reliably learned that certain portions and clauses within the organic framework document of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) have been dubiously, viciously, and purposefully altered allegedly by some nefarious individuals within the hierarchy of the CPP - and replaced by 'Alien Clauses' to engender ulterior motives."
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Mr. Urey continued: "While the ALP would not cast aspersions and make fast conclusions now, however, the unimpeachable sources from which we gathered this information, we can by no means possible doubt its validity. We are also cautioned not to take this information for granted because if such subversive maneuvering is not decisively foiled and dismissed, the CPP must brace for a fate of fatal consequences. It is no gainsaying that such a despicable and woeful act, if permitted to happen, will spell upon the CPP a brazen doom."
Mr. Cummings said, he remains committed to the spirit of the CPP.
"We are competing for the leadership of the CPP. Some of our supporters, you know, get carried away, personalize the competition. But no. I will not say we have a crisis. We are just competing for the hearts and minds of the partisans of the CPP. And as I mentioned, you know, we've got some folks that get carried away and personalize it," he said.
Asked on allegation of giving money to delegates to elect him in the upcoming elections, Mr. Cummings rubbished it.
Mr. Cummings said, "I don't know how you can be 'bribing' delegates when we haven't even agreed the criteria yet for how delegates will be selected, how they will vote, etc. You know, bribing media outlets again is all propaganda. What appears to be happening is that when people, whether the media or individuals are supporting me, somehow, it's because we are paying them. And when they support others, it is because they are being patriotic. But it's all political; it's all propaganda; it is not true, and we are undeterred and we will be undeterred".
