MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) of now-jailed former President Charles Taylor, through its chairman emeritus Chief Cyril Allen, criticized President Joseph Boakai’s ruling Unity Party (UP) for being unfit to win in a democratic competition despite ascending to the presidency.
Addressing NPP partisans at the party’s refurbished headquarters in Tarr Town, Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia, on Thursday, Chief Allen contended that the Unity Party did not win any democratic election but rather benefited from the public’s dissatisfaction with the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change-led (CDC) government. According to Allen, the CDC’s poor performance and internal deceptions led people to view the Unity Party as a viable alternative.
“Like I said to President Boakai, he shouldn’t think that the Unity Party won any democratic process in Liberia; no, they did not win any. The Unity Party did not have the political infrastructure to win any democratic process in contemporary times, but it was the dissatisfaction of individuals around the country about the underperformance by the Coalition government that supported their initiatives as an alternative,” he stated.
Currently a member of the NPP Advisory Committee, Chief Allen urged partisans to remain united and steadfast in their support of the party. He emphasized that the NPP has a long political history in Liberia and must now aim to create a sophisticated political structure capable of winning future democratic elections.
“The NPP has come a long way; we have gone through stages, from winning a democratic election, coordinating with other political parties, and forming a coalition where we were also victorious. But it’s about time we move to another level, from collaborations to coalitions, where there is a clear distinction between supporting a political institution and being a part of it. We must reenergize and complete our structures from community to district to county levels, ensuring we are prepared to win a future presidential election,” Chief Allen told partisans.
Maryland County Senator James P. Biney also addressed the partisans, calling for the rebirth of the NPP. He encouraged members to revive their collective dream with honest effort and to work towards connecting the party’s broken pieces.
“This party,” Senator Biney emphasized, “remains the most consistent political movement in the history of Liberia, and we must hold together to bring our dreams to fruition.”
