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| Only CDC -Eugene Nabge Opens UP On New Party |
| Published on February 04, 2010 | Email To Friend Print Version
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By D. K. Sengbeh
The Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Eugene Nagbe has disassociated himself from a budding political party, stating that he remains fully loyal to the CDC.
Mr. Nagbe said though he is quite aware of the establishment of the new political party and knows those behind the party’s establishment, he has never been and will not be part of them as reported in this paper’s Wednesday (Feb 3) edition.
A credible source told this paper Tuesday that well-built political and financial gurus in the country have begun the establishment of a new political party to overwhelm any opposition force in the 2011 general and presidential elections.
The chief intent of the party, yet to be named, is to stand as a muscular force to prevent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her Unity Party government from realizing a dreamed second term, our established source stated.
Organizers of the party are said to be diehard members of various political parties including the ruling Unity Party, oppositions Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Liberty Party (LP), National Patriotic Party (NPP), and the Liberian Unification Party (LUP) among others, while others said to be influential people.
According to the report, the first meeting of group was held on January 28, 2010 at the recently dedicated villa on Crown Hill (Rose Garden) with 42 persons attending. The meeting was held between 7 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
At least US$54,300 was raised from an initial rally to facilitate the official establishment of the party including recruitment for membership.
“They’ve planned to raise US$1 million from now to July and have set up various committees and charged them with specific tasks before their next meeting expected this week,” the source said.
Distinguished among those behind the new political force, according to our source, include renowned businessman Musa Bility (acting Chairman), Lewis Brown, Benoni Urey, Paul Mulbah, of the NPP; Rep. Edwin Snowe (Independent), Eugene Nagbe (CDC), Dairus Dillon (LP), former finance minister Luseni Kamara, Dew Mason (UP affiliate) among others.
The acting chairman, Mr. Bility—a petroleum, rice and cement importer and owner of a local media empire— single-handedly donated US$15,000 of the US$54,300 collected on January 28.
But reacting to the report yesterday, Mr. Nagbe said: I don’t know where the story came from, but I just want to clarify that I’ve got totally no connection to that party, and if you ask the people that are forming that party they will tell you I am not part of them.
The opposition CDC chief scribe said he has no intention of joining any other party than the CDC. “I’ve got no intention of joining any other party; CDC is my party. I am a CDC man; only CDC,” Mr. Nagbe said in his mobile phone reaction, adding, “CDC is the greatest party in Liberia. I am totally unconnected with that new party.”
He said: “I didn’t attend any meeting; most of the people holding the meeting I know them, they are politicians, but I have not attended any meeting with anybody regarding political party.”
He confirmed our source’s statement that Mr. Musa Bility id the acting chairman of the emerging party.
He said probable people may have seen interacting with those creating the party, thereby making them conclude that he is part of the making.
He said he is very friendly with most of the people forming the party “but I’m not part f them”.
“I know that people are forming the new party...I am a politician…I know. For me not know I will be politically naïve, but all I am saying is that I am the secretary general of the CDC and I am not a part of any new party.”
Our informant on Tuesday noted that that Mr. Urey (Benoni, former maritime commissioner) has promised to provide 15 set of computers, while the emerging party has planned to procure 15 pickups to be used in each of the counties to establish branches and recruit partisans.
This paper has not succeeded in getting words from all of those connected to the claim.
Diarus Dillon told this paper he could not comment on the issue via phone.
“You don’t expect me to comment on such an explosive political issue on phone…without me seeing you in person.”
Mr. Dillon requested this paper to send its legislative reporter to his office at the Capitol Building Tuesday, but when our reporter met him, he said he was on his way for an important meeting.
Both Snowe and Bility could not answer their phones when called.
LP Chairman Israel Akinsaya Tuesday also hinted that a “new political party” was in the making, and noted that there was no need for another party in the country’s current political epoch.
He said the party in question was being organized by a businessman—an importer of petroleum and radio station owner, but called no names.
He noted that individuals with such ambition could rather join rank with existing political parties to establish a strong opposition force in the 2011 general and presidential elections rather than starting a new one.
“The Liberian people are no longer interested in too many political parties,” the LP Chief said.
He told Truth FM breakfast show that there were too many political parties in the past because the opposition was not united.
LP, CDC and Liberian National Union (LINU) are currently collaborating to produce a presidential candidate in 2010, with each of them hungrily wanting the flagbearership.
“To me, it is deceptive for them to be talking of establishing a new party when they are the very ones talking of collaboration,” Deputy Information Minister Cletus Sieh of LUP said Tuesday, when quizzed whether he was part of the new plan.
He said those who were part of the CDC, LUP, LP NPP and other parties, discussing merger or collaboration and at the same time attending meetings at night to organize another party, were deceitful.”
He said he was not and could not be part of such syndicate.
Many Liberians have criticized the multiplicity of political parties in Liberia, many of them often tied around individuals and not institutionalized.
About 30 political parties sprout out in the 2005 general and presidential elections, producing 23 presidential candidates.
Meanwhile investigation continues on the establishment of the new party as the second meeting is slated for this week, according to our irrefutable source.
D K Sengbeh writes; 06 586 531, editoratinformer@yahoo.com
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