By Olando Testimony Zeongar
MONROVIA – A former member of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Taa Wongbe, has disclosed that the party is in disarray, with the ex-member of the ANC citing several examples, one of which has so far been rebuffed by ANC’s Grand Bassa County Chapter Chairperson, Solomon Abba Kollie.
Wongbe, who himself resigned from the party a while ago, claims the ANC of businessman cum politician Alexander Benedict Cummings, is in disarray, among others citing examples, including resignations of members of the party’s Nimba County Chapter, a few months ago, to which he alleges that ANC political leader Cummings reacted publicly by stating that the resigned members were not needed by the party.
Continuing with his justifications of why he believes the ANC is in disarray, Wongbe further alleges that ANC Grand Bassa County Chapter chairperson, Solomon Abba Kollie, is currently feeling disenfranchised because, according to him (Wongbe), others including prominent Bassa citizen Lewis Brown, are being prioritized over the ANC Bassa Chapter Chairman.
But, the ANC Bassa chapter chair, Kollie, has since rebuffed Wongbe’s claim that he’s feeling disenfranchised, terming such an assertion from the former ANC member as propaganda.
Howbeit, Wongbe further disclosed that other chairmen and chair ladies of the ANC are on the verge of quitting the party and pledging their support elsewhere.
Among his litany of examples of why he thinks the ANC is in disarray, was a startling revelation that the party is in a rental arrear in the sum of $510, for its Nimba County office, and that the door to the office was at the verge of being locked on the ANC.
He went on to indicate that supporters of the ANC are complaining about the lack of momentum and that the party’s political leader, Cummings, lacks relationships and doesn’t care for them.
“They are claiming that he pays attention to new people and not to those who have suffered with him,” Wongbe wrote on his official Facebook handle on Tuesday.
He added that members and supporters of the ANC feel the party is being remotely controlled by members in the U.S. and by former Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
According to Wongbe, some disenchanted members and supporters of the ANC, are now circulating news that Cummings is only in the race to support the governing CDC of incumbent, President George Weah, in the event the 10 October presidential election goes into runoff, with the aim of potentially taking over the CDC after President Weah.
“Supporters can’t fathom why Cummings still doesn’t have a house in his home in Maryland when he’s spending hundreds or millions on everything else. They are questioning if he’s really here to stay,” Wongbe further wrote.
He averred that members and supporters of the ANC feel the process of picking a vice standard bearer to Cummings, was a big fiasco and a huge momentum-killer and one that wasn’t thought through clearly.
In his long list of examples justifying his assertion of the ANC being in disarray, Wongbe claims with only 5 months to elections, supporters of the party are also complaining that there’s little to no movement, no mobilization, no recruitment, and no empowerment.
“This is not even all…I have received countless calls from supporters complaining and complaining and I have made them to understand that I am no longer a member of the party,” he indicated.
Wongbe wants Liberians, particularly members and supporters of the ANC to know that the notion that people hate Cummings is ridiculous and false, noting that in fact, a lot of people love Cummings and that most Liberians including him, believe he’s the best person to lead Liberia, but he opined that many Liberians simply do not understand the ANC political leader and can’t relate to him.
“Moreover, many feel that he’s arrogant and so are his handlers,” added Wongbe, indicating, “trust me, I don’t believe this entirely because I have been there, but optics matter.”
Wongbe, then took up time to lend his former party some recommendations, pointing out that the ANC needs to quickly fix issues it’s being confronted with; pursue reconciliation; dispel rumors that Cummings is only in the race to drain votes from the Unity Party (UP) and to support CDC, should there be a second round.
Additionally, Wongbe recommended that the ANC membership compels its political leader to build a house in his home county of Maryland, where Taa claims Cummings does not currently have one; and that the membership also prevails on Cummings to focus on people who have struggled with the party and empower them.
