After a series of political discussions and consultations with Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence of the Liberty Party (LP), to go as running mate to Mr. Alexander Cummings of the Alternative National Congress, ( ANC) she has finally dashed the hope of the ANC's Standard Bearer.
Madam Lawrence was one of the Candidates who Ambassador Joseph B. Boakai should have selected as his running mate but later, he selected Senator Jeremiah Koung of Nimba County.
Addressing her Partisans and Supporters in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County over the weekend, Senator Lawrence had this to say about the ANC:
"In relation to Mr. Cummings' ANC, we do not see it necessary to form a political alliance at this time. We believe actors on our national political stage must have a deeper self-examination of trending political events that could lend themselves to political collaboration or the reverse thereof. In Liberty Party's specific case, it would be a deviation and indeed a betrayal of the trust and confidence of our thousands of partisans to unwittingly find the Political Leader sitting on the ticket with Mr. Cummings in light of his unending support to the man whose desire is to render Liberty Party politically paralyzed and divided. As a matter of fact, Mr. Bility is recalcitrant that he does not recognize the authority of the Political Leadership of the Liberty Party, something that the ANC, through its actions and inactions, tacitly supported and concretized all along, thereby rendering his belated attempt to change course to have limited effect.
Mr. Bility and Senator Lawrence had just ended a supreme court case in which Bility won and warned Nyonblee from acting in her capacity as leader of the party-Liberty party.
"What is even more disturbing and unconscionable is the fact that the ANC folks are inclined to believe that the only way we could gain control of LP is to accept the running mate slot, and every other thing will fall into place. Accepting such an offer will demonstrate sheer greed for power on our part, and this will be the less honorable path to tread.
In essence, to form a presidential ticket with individuals who conspired with a compromised system to rob us of deserved justice would only be interpreted as approving the same system that we are endeavoring to change. Even more, it would be a demonstration of desperation for political power. We could never and will never fall into such a trap," she said.
After releasing these words, then she went on to speak. It was at this time the narrative changed.
Smiles returned to the faces of the opposition Unity Party and Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR).
She later committed her fullest support to their ticket the ticket of Amb. Boakai and Jeremiah Koung.
After she was not selected by Amb. Boakai, it made other politicians including Mr. Alexander B. Cummings of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP), legal-minded Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe of the Liberian People's Party (LPP) to begin reaching out to her for a possible collaboration.
This, too, did not work, thus changing the narrative.
During the discussions with other Politicians, the Grand Bassa County Senator said she was guided by the general direction of her partisans and supporters; the prospects of forming a winning ticket at this time of the electoral calendar; and, the long-term best interest of the nation.
Speaking in Grand Bassa County at a well-attended event, Senator Karnga-Lawrence stayed directly to Mr. Cummings' ANC saying, "We do not see it necessary to form a political alliance at this time."
According to her, she believes actors on the Liberian national political stage must have a deeper self-examination of trending political events that could lend themselves to political collaboration or the reverse thereof.
She disclosed that what is even more disturbing and unconscionable is the fact that the ANC folks are inclined to believe that the only way she could gain control of LP is to accept the running mate slot, and every other thing will fall into place.
She said, "To accept such an offer will demonstrate sheer greed for power on our part, and this will be the less honorable path to tread."
The embattled LP leader said to form a presidential ticket with individuals who conspired with a compromised system to rob her of deserved justice, would only be interpreted as approving the same system that they are endeavoring to change.
Even more, she said it would be a demonstration of desperation for political power.
"We could never and will never fall into such trap" she told thousands of supporters in Grand Bassa.
She spoke kindly of the Liberian People's Party of Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe, stating that " We recognize Cllr. Gongloe's endless fight for social justice and economic opportunities for our people."
She liked Cllr. Gongloe to the Liberty Party father, stressing, "He has demonstrated, like our late founding father, Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine, commitment to reforms in our society."
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In her reasons why she went back to the political marriage with Amb. Boakai, she said when they initially decided to team up with Ambassador Boakai to embark on a rescue mission a few years back, it was done against the background of his public service records, qualification, experience, and his love for country.
"To simply disengage from this process on account of not being named as running mate, would speak less of our honesty and commitment to contributing to the change that Liberia so deserves and finds in the person of Ambassador Boakai."
She furthered, " Therefore, in consideration of the selfless agenda that we brought to the table when we embarked on the journey with this astute statesman and following two weeks of consultations with a broad spectrum of the membership of our party, stakeholders and sympathizers at home and abroad, I am pleased to announce that we wholeheartedly endorse the Boakai-Koung Ticket."
Her statements came at the time when Mr. Cummings was at the convention of the ANC in Ganta. It was anticipated that he would name his running mate at that event, but this did not happen.
