...Three Top Political Parties Settle on Running Mates Issues
The National Elections Commission of Liberia (NEC) has accredited 23 Political Parties to participate in the impending Presidential and Legislative Elections that are slated for October 10, 2023.
The 23 Political Parties include: All-Liberia Coalition Party (ALCOP), All-Liberian Party (ALP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), Change Democratic Action (CDA), Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC/NPP/LPDP), Coalition for Liberia's Progress (CLP), Grassroot Democratic Party of Liberia (GDPL), Liberia Transformation Party (LTP), Liberian National Union (LINU), Liberty Party(LP) and Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR).
Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), Movement for One Liberia (MOL) , Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), National Democratic Coalition (NDC), New Liberia Party (NLP),People's Unification Party (PUP), True Whig Party (TWP),Union of Liberian Democrats (ULD), United People's Party (UPP), Unity Party (UP), Victory for Change (VCP), and Vision for Liberia Transformation (VOLT).
Of the above parties, some have either entered into political arrangements with the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), or oppositions Unity Party and Liberty Party.
The above three parties named have been the center of discussions since debates about the upcoming election began.
One of the things that have been at the epicenter of these debates has been the issue of finding a running-mate.
Elements in the CDC had the views that the opposition was not prepared to unseat them, because at the time, it was grappling with issue of naming a running-mate.
It was the Unity Party that braved the storm and lately named Nimba County Senator, Jeremiah K. Koung as its running mate, turning down the quest of Grand Bassa County, Senator Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence who also opted for the same slot.
She laid down her ego and still supports Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, and she named herself "the rescued mother" while Boakai and Koung are being called Rescue 1 and Rescue 2 respectively.
That other discussion was settled.
Another heated debate intensified against ANC, a party that broke away from the CDC.
The Alternative National Congress of Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings was criticized for not being prepared on grounds that he had to wait for Joseph Boakai to turn-down Senator Karngar- Lawrence's quest before asking for her hand in a political marriage.
This, the critics of Cummings said, was a high level of irresponsible behavior exhibited by Cummings and the ANC.
It was not too long when he settled down on Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine, the oldest child of the founding father of the Liberty Party, the late Charles Walker Brumskine.
The Unity Party and Alternative National Congress have both placed behind them the criticism about running mates and the scramble for the Presidency of Liberia is heating up by the day.
The question is who takes the seat on October 10, 2023.
Many have said with the many political parties and how the opposition is fragmented, it makes it easier for President George M. Wea to retain the Presidency of Liberia.