In a last ditch attempt to rescue a Liberian political institution which is in peril of self-implosion, the daughter of the party’s founder Attorney Charlyne Brumskine is urging reconciliation among members of the leadership hierarchy of the Liberty Party (LP).
At a news conference in Monrovia on Tuesday, Ms. Brumskine honored the legacy and efforts of her late father and party founder Counselor Charles Walker Brumskine but lamented the current infighting.
She narrated how, since the death of her father and the worsening conflict in the party, she had refrained from publicly commenting or siding with feuding members of the leadership and, instead, had been working behind the scene to resolve the internal wrangling.
But she boldly emphasized at the news conference that she would no longer be silent.
The LP under Chairman Musa Hassan Bility is locked in a “death match” for control of the party with the “suspended” Political Leader Senator Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence.
The two are throwing their individual loyalties to opposing Presidential hopefuls of the opposition bloc known as the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) composed of the former ruling Unity Party (UP) led by former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai and The Alternative National Congress (ANC) of Alexander B. Cummings. The All Liberia Party ( ALP) of Benoni Urey is also a member of the CPP.
Both Boakai and Cummings are ferociously wooing support from other constituent members in the CPP to head its ticket for upcoming Presidential and General Elections in 2023.
Incumbent LP Party Chairman Mr. Bility invoked a party constitutional clause to “suspend” the Political Leader Senator Karnga Lawrence over her failure to maintain currency of her member through due payment.
16 other members were also “suspended”.
Last weekend in the administrative district of Nimba County, northern Liberia, a Special National Convention of the LP called by Chairman Bility and attended by members of the National Executive Council (NEC) and delegates from around the country deliberated behind closed doors and later announced the appointment of a new Political Leader Mr. Harrison Karnwea to replace “suspended” Political Leader Senator Karnga Lawrence who had also attempted to annul a 2015 Party National Convention which ushered in Bility’s Chairmanship.
The LP also announced that it would “join forces” with the ANC, a move which is seen as an “endorsement” of the bid of its leader Mr. Cummings as the presidential candidate of the CPP bloc
The ANC, meanwhile, has welcomed the endorsement.
While declining to side with any one group, Ms. Brumskine, in her statement appealed for reconciliation.
“…Inorder to truly reconcile, to truly rebuild, to truly reform, to truly recover Liberty Party, I ask that we constitute a Council of Elders comprising no more than seven persons to engage the leadership of Liberty Party to find a means of making all views compatible and to help us find a way forward…”
According to her recommendations, the Council of Elders would mediate and offer recommendations in closed session as a way to resolve the issues. She offered to sit on the Council and is making available the residence of the late party founder – her father, for meetings of the Council.
Ms. Brumskine did not indicate if she recognized the “suspended” Political Leader Senator Karnga Lawrence as the incumbent or major decisions of the just concluded LP Special National Convention in Nimba County.
Political observers say the insertion of Ms. Brumskine into the midst of the “rendering” of her father’s political party is a significant test of her influence and gravitas in the institution.
If she is able to successfully reunite all sides on the party, analysts say she may garner immediate massive support in the party and the opposition community to become a “credible player and voice” in national politics in Liberia.
The big challenge now is whether the feuding sides in the LP who are dug in will agree to comprise and reconcile.
Ms. Brumskine disavowed any leadership role in the party during her statement.
LP Chairman Bility is expected to respond soon to the call for reconciliation but it remains unclear if, as part of any compromise agreement, he and the current National Executive Committee if the party will rescind recent decisions to suspend the Political Leader Senator Karnga Lawrence and others or abandon the new alliance and endorsement of the ANC.
In a separate development, unconfirmed reports in various Liberia social media say the former ruling Unity Party (UP) and the All Liberia Party (ALP) are finalizing legalities to exit the collaborating bloc.
Liberia Public Radio has not been able to corroborate the authenticity of the report. No official statement has been made by the UP or ALP on the matter.
