MONROVIA - Liberia's ruling Unity Party has rejected accusations of political interference in the court-ordered eviction of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), with a top official insisting the party's ouster from its longtime headquarters was the result of its own failures, not government action.
Mohammed Ali, Managing Director of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation and a senior Unity Party figure, said CDC had only itself to blame after being removed from the seaside Bernard's Beach compound it had occupied for more than two decades. "CDC's failures are CDC's failures," Ali said. "The property owner exercised their rights under the law, and the bulldozer was hired by them, not the government."
A Disputed Stronghold Torn Down
On August 23, police enforced a ruling by the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court in Monrovia, which awarded the 4.23-acre estate to the family of Martha Stubblefield Bernard. The demolition leveled not only the CDC's headquarters but also symbolic fixtures such as the sycamore tree where George Weah's party once staged mass rallies.
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Former President Weah denounced the move as illegal and politically motivated, while his supporters described it as an assault on the opposition's legacy. Authorities countered that it was a civil property dispute and not a government action.
Ali Turns Fire on CDC
In a Flag Day message, Ali dismissed CDC's accusations against President Joseph Boakai's government, arguing the party had ignored opportunities to secure permanent ownership despite years of high-profile fundraising through its "Dollar Rallies."
"Over two decades, multiple dollar rallies raised millions, but the property was never purchased," Ali said. "Supporters deserve accountability on how those contributions were used and why promises were not kept."
He contrasted CDC's eviction with the Unity Party's own removal from its rented headquarters in 2020, saying the UP relocated without confrontation after failing to meet a rent hike.
Calls for Lessons, Not Laughter
Montserrado Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, an ally of the ruling coalition, urged political parties to treat the episode as a lesson rather than a spectacle. "Instead of laughing at the CDC, I would rather use their case as a lesson," Dillon said. "We need to own our own headquarters."
CDC figures, meanwhile, expressed defiance. "The broken pieces we gather will serve as a symbol of our commitment to rebranding and moving forward," party member Samuel Weah wrote on Facebook.
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Boakai: "The Law Is the Law"
President Boakai, speaking after returning from Japan, reiterated that the matter was settled by the judiciary. "The law is the law," he said. "The police were ordered to carry out the action, and they did. That demolition was simply the removal of people from premises that did not belong to them."
