Monrovia — Opposition leader Alexander Benedict Cummings has rallied Liberians eager for 'real change' to join him in turning the tie comes October 10 this year instead of questioning his electability.
Mr. Cummings made headways in corporate America when he rose to the rank of Coca Cola company's Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer until his retirement in 2016.
Cummings returned to Liberia, launch his philanthropic work through the Cummings Africa Foundation (CAF) and in 2017, ran as President, coming fourth and obtaining 112,067 votes [of 1,641,922 total votes] which amounted to 7.21 percent.
Six years later, Mr. Cummings is galvanizing support to run for president again. But his campaign is often dogged by question over his electability. While he is widely admired for his success in the corporate world, many believe that Cummings is still new in the Liberian political arena and has no experience in government.
Addressing the issue in a major statement he delivered at the headquarters of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) on Monday, Cummings said he was ready to take the CPP to victory come October.
He continued: "Today, as always, I open my arms and the CPP to everyone looking to work for real change in our country. Together, let us write a new chapter for our country's future. If not us, then who? If not now, then when? And so, my people, don't ask if Cummings can win. Ask if you are ready for real change.
Because if you are ready to change Liberia as I am ready to do, I promise you that together, we will win. We will win massively, and together, we will lead differently. Our winning coalition will not just be of parties, it will be for the good of the country. We will change our country and improve the living conditions of our people."
Responding to critics who say he is new to Liberian politics and has no experience in public service, he said "I am often criticized for not having "government experience." Well, if government experience is to steal from the people and neglect them to suffer than thank God I don't have "government experience."
He said while he may not have worked in government, he is master in fixing thing.
"My experience is in fixing systems so things work better for all to enjoy. I have no "government experience" in trying to benefit from corrupt and broken-down system. My experience is one of leadership in standing for principles and the values of hard work, integrity and honesty, and in keeping promises I make. My experience is one of leadership in doing the right things the right way, and not sacrificing my values and principles just to win."
'Shameful and Embarrassing'
Cummings, a staunch critics of President Weah and his officials did not spare his words in his criticism of the Liberian Government.
Referencing United Sates Ambassador Michael McCarthy's damning criticism of the Weah-government, Cummings said, it was "very shameful and embarrassing for the presidency and the entire country for strangers to tell us how rotten, corrupt and irresponsible the Liberian government is under the leadership of President George Weah."
At the end of his tour of the counties, Amb. McCarthy decried the harsh conditions of rural Liberians. He said hospitals were not receiving any of the US$100,000 appropriated in the 2022 Budget for their operations, while county service Centers were abandoned.
McCarthy said despite these hardships, the government institution that were responsible to intervene were not doing so, making him to conclude the "blocking of resources to hospitals is so complete that it must be due to the existence of a syndicate involving players at the legislature, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
While the U.S. Ambassador's complaints were genuine, Cummings said he is confident President Weah will do nothing about what the American Ambassador has said and reported.
"He will not do anything because we know that a fish gets rotten from the head. For the government to be rotten, the head must, first, be rotten! When someone hay (head) burns, don't ask about his beard, he added.
Mocking the president, Cummings said 'President Weah is running Liberia like an irresponsible father who spends his pay on liquor only to beg his neighbors to feed his family, pay his rent and children school fees."
He said it was unacceptable for American taxpayers' money to spent on health and education, and government workers, while Liberian leaders are stealing, partying and travelling abroad to bluff with the country's wealth they have stolen.
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'Leadership Matters'
Mr. Cummings' landmark address also comes as the former Vice president Joseph Boakai named his running - Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung.
Since the announcement, the UP political leader's choice for running mate has been greeted with mixed reaction.
In what appeared like a jibe directed at former VP Boakia, Cummings said: "Leadership matters. This is why a wasteful and irresponsible leader cannot be expected to run a responsible government. The same is true that a divisive leader cannot unite a nation just as a weak and indecisive person who will compromise principles only to win must not be allowed to lead us. We will not get out of our difficulty by compromising values and looking for easy wins and shortcuts. Doing the same things over and over will only give us the same bad results!
He further: "In life, when we try to take short cuts to success, compromise our values, and believe we do not need to work hard and honestly for what we want; too often, we will not get the success we seek or the things we want. When we let ourselves fall for everything, it means we actually stand for nothing. Leaders must stand for something!"
