Liberia: Cummings to Lead CDC?

Information circulating in the corridor of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change suggests that CPP and ANC political leader Mr. Alexander B. Cummings is likely to head the CDC.

The NewDawn is learning that there are ongoing negotiations and conversation within the hierarchy of the CDC for the once stern critic of President George Weah to replace Mr. Weah as the new political leader of the towering Coalition that lost the 14 November presidential runoff election recently.

The CDC seems to have embarked on a rebranding mission in readiness for 2029, as it reenergizes to face the UP, its main rival since 2005.

Sources are hinting that the decision to bring on board Mr. Cummings is to replace President Weah, who they said has no intention of contesting for the Presidency again.

One source discloses that the executive committee of the CDC is resolved in making sure that Mr. Weah retires as face of the party following what die-hard CDCians describe as his hasty concession to the UP, ignoring the leadership in the just-ended Presidential run-off election.

Angry and disappointed CDCians are accusing President Weah of handling over the Presidency to Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai, winner of the 14 November runoff election unknown to the party, something they consider as disrespectful.

CDC Secretary General Jefferson Tamba Koijee, has disclosed that they are holding conversation and consultation with the Alternative National Congress of Mr. Alexander B. Cummings to form a stronger opposition alliance.

Making the disclosure on December 4, 2023 when he appeared on Voice of Liberia live morning talk show, Mr. Koijee said that they are in conversation with Mr. Cummings to build a stronger opposition alliance to keep the feet of President-elect, Boakai to the fire.

"We are having conversations with the ANC and the CPP by extension, to bring the party together in order to build a stronger opposition alliance. With this alliance, we will keep the feet of the government-elect, to the fire. And so, we are having conversations with Mr. Cummings and other political parties to build a stronger opposition alliance for 2029", Koijee confirmed.

Meanwhile, validating Koijee's revelation, a stalwart of the CDC, Dr. Lester D. Tenny, has been venting his anger at incumbent President George Manneh Weah, for various reasons.

In a recent conversation with Spoon FM, Dr. Tenny vowed that never again will Mr. Weah be allowed to run or contest on the CDC ticket as its standard bearer.

Dr. Tenny believes that Weah, founder of the CDC, will no longer be given the privilege and opportunity to contest on the party ticket in 2029 and beyond.

"I have read in several newspapers and even listened to radios where I heard President Weah blaming the Executive Committee of the Party for the defeat and describing the Executive Committee as insincere," he said.

"Quote me, President Weah will never be the standard bearer of the CDC again," he maintained.

However, it remains to be seen whether CDCians who literally worship Mr. Weah as godhead of the Congress for Democratic Change have the muscles to reject the man that has led them in the past 19 years up to the Presidency.

Editing by Jonathan Browne

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