Monrovia – Political alliance in Liberia could be redefined by those agreeing at a table to form a common front in pursuit of power, as disenchantment over alleged unfair treatment has set the base, with the National Patriotic Party (NPP) condemning the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change as a great mistake in 2017.
George Sylvester Mulbah is the chairman of NPP, and, he voiced out his frustration over the weekend at the occasion marking the homecoming ceremonies of partisans of Liberia People Democratic Party (LPDP) held in Congo Town, Monrovia.
Mulbah declared that the party will never again subordinate itself in any political arrangement that treats it as a “stepchild.”
He emphasized that the National Patriotic Party is a force to be reckoned with and will only engage in alliances where it is given due respect. “This is a real political party,” the NPP chairman boasted.
“We will never make the mistake of subordinating ourselves again to any arrangement that does not treat us as an equal partner. That mistake will not be made any longer. Going forward in 2029, if we are to form a political arrangement, it will be one of complete respect for all parties involved.”
When the 2017 general and Presidential Elections were underway, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) of George Weah entered into an alliance deal with the NPP and the LPDP in a bid to disallow the then ruling Unity Party (UP) from securing a third term of six-having already led the country for twelve consecutive years not short of mixed reactions on advancing the country beyond the lines of poverty in all spheres.
The political marriage was a force to reckon with, and, it became known as the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). It won the Presidential Election in 2017 and a number of Legislative seats at both the Senate and the House of Representatives; making Weah Liberia and Africa’s first former soccer star to have ascended to the highest national office-Presidency.
Mulbah’s remarks came following the NPP’s breakaway from the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Alongside the LPDP, the NPP parted ways with the CDC in May 2024, citing years of being sidelined and disregarded.
Dissolution of the Coalition
The NPP and LPDP were once integral political institutions of the tripartite Coalition, which was formed in 2016 when the two parties joined forces with the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) to create a formidable opposition. The coalition successfully won the 2017 presidential election, bringing George Weah and Jewel Howard Taylor to power as President and Vice President, respectively. However, after six years in government, internal discontent brewed within the coalition, leading to a rift that widened as the 2023 elections approached.
The NPP and LPDP accused the CDC leadership of sidelining them in governance, failing to uphold agreed-upon power-sharing arrangements, and neglecting their interests. “We wanted our partisans in senior decision-making positions to demonstrate to the people that we are committed to their well-being,” said Cyril Allen, a senior member of the NPP. “But we were never given that opportunity. We have learned from this experience, and the NPP must now advance to a new political level.”
Discontent and Departure
The discontent within the coalition led to key NPP and LPDP partisans defecting to rival political camps. Notably,LPDP political leader, former House Speaker Alex Tyler and Senator James Biney, both prominent parted company, each, with the coalition and aligned themselves with the Unity Party (UP), significantly bolstering Joseph Boakai’s successful presidential bid in 2023. Biney was by then the national chairman of the NPP.
Following their departure from the CDC, both the NPP and LPDP have begun restructuring and reorganizing in preparation for future elections.
Mulbah, and the LPDP Chairman, Moses Kollie, have since emphasized the need to rebuild their respective parties into strong, independent political institutions. “We can no longer remain in a coalition that does not respect us,” Kollie said. “We are making a move to come back stronger in 2029. Our focus is to rebrand and strategize for the future.”
The NPP is a former ruling political party. Its governance of the country spanned from late 1997 to August 2003 when its then political leader, former President Charles Taylor was forced into exile (Nigeria) through a peace deal that brought to an end the tragic civil war which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and hundreds of millions worth of properties.
On rebuilding the NPP, Mulbah reiterated that his party must now prioritize internal growth and strengthen its political machinery. He announced plans for an extraordinary session to elect a new political leader who will guide the party towards the 2029 elections. “Our party is a democratic institution, and democracy must be at its core,” he stated.
He added that “No one can freeze the opposition or impose a political dynasty on us. We will proceed with a national convention to elect new leadership because the NPP belongs to all of us.”
Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, who is also ex-wife (former First Lady) of former President Taylor, has been NPP’s political leader for many years, although with frictions embracing her leadership. Taylor is held in a maximum prison for 50 years spanning as far back as of 2012 on accounts of aiding and abetting the atrocities committed in neighboring Sierra Leone by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel faction led by Foday Sankoh (deceased).
The Mulbah also took a swipe at the National Elections Commission (NEC), accusing it of attempting to interfere in the party’s internal affairs. “We will not allow the NEC or any other institution to undermine our constitution,” he said. “For too long, people have tried to dictate how the NPP should be run. Those days are over.” Mulbah’s remarks mark a definitive break from the NPP’s past alliances and a strong assertion of its political independence.
With the 2029 elections still years away, the party now faces the challenge of rebuilding its base, regaining public confidence, and forging new political alliances that align with its vision.
UP Alliance with LP, ANC, ALP, Others
Like the CDC and its NPP and LPDP alliance, the Unity Party entered into a collaboration with the Liberty Party (LP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and the All Liberian Party (ALP) ahead of the 2023 elections but the political marriage collapsed due to internal conflicts.
Alexander Benedict Cummings, political leader of the ANC was accused by Benoni Urey of the ALP of tampering with the framework document to which they all affixed their signatures for a concerted and cohesive alliance to disallow George Weah from securing a second term tenure of six years in office.
There was a litigation and it ended up with findings that Cummings did not tamper with the framework document as alleged by the ALP political leader, Urey but, that did not end the conflict as who became the standard bearer to face Weah took yet another center stage, thereby collapsing the political marriage.
Joseph Nyumah Boakai, then former Vice President, in the end, clung onto the standard bearer position with a fraction of the Liberty Party (LP) heady by Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence (now Pro-Tempore of the Senate) while another fraction of LP headed by Musa Hassan Bility went on to support the Presidential bid of Cummings.
Boakai was fortunate to have attracted the support of other political parties and some prominent individuals when the Presidential runoff ensued. With Weah’s challenging records of poor human rights, allegations of corruption and misappropriation of public funds, the former VP secured a slim margin-win over Weah.
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