The people of Liberia have the chance to do things the right way and Alexander B Cummings believes this is their moment to choose. “The history of our nation, however imperfect, is the tale of a quest for change.” And this is a quest that Cummings will not let go without a fight.
Cummings, the Standard Bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), believes allegations made by factions in the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) of altering CPP Framework Documents are a carefully coordinated attack on his character motivated by politics and a thirst for power.
“Politics does not have to be dirty, malicious, conniving and evil, but that is what the traditional politicians know,” Cummings writes in an open letter. “This will end under a Cummings administration. They know it and they fear it.”
Cummings retired with 18 years of distinguished service at the Coca Cola Company in 2016 and later in the same year announced his bid for presidency. He was quick to point out that in a career that also included the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI) he was thoroughly audited every single year, “with not a single report of improprieties or suspicions of wrongdoing.”
“All that I am, and have today, was acquired through honesty, hard work, integrity, and commitment to do the right and ethical things. I would never risk that for anything in this world, not even for the Liberian Presidency.”
Cummings is calling for the current CPP chairman Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence to apologise “to the Liberian people for intentionally misleading them and threatening to destroy the CPP.”
Cummings informed Senator Karnga-Lawrence and the CPP that the disputed framework document was signed May 19, 2020 under the leadership of Benoni Urey and that all parties submitted the resolutions to the ANC and that the ANC filed what they received.
Cummings also says the CPP committee charged with investigating the allegations observed that, except for slight structural rearrangements, all provisions in the framework document are the same as the one filed with the National Election Commission (NAC). A unilateral agreement was made at a meeting on October 6 that the committee’s findings along with ANC’s objections would be submitted to lawyers for verification to safeguard the investigation.
However Senator Karnga-Lawrence broke cover and held a press conference to try and turn the public tide against Cummings and “intentionally and maliciously, with intent to deceive, read selective parts of the contested findings,” says Cummings. “They have a copy of the lawyers’ amendment and they know that the lawyers will confirm the changes they made. I therefore wonder if this is why Senator Karnga-Lawrence is yet to send the Committee report to the lawyers for verification.”
He believes the machinations against him are due in part because he will not step aside for Unity Party’s Joseph Boakai to lead the CPP and join Boakai’s ticket as the Vice President candidate.
“I am up against a system that is deeply rooted in our society; a system that is intent on keeping things as they are because it benefits a few of them.”
“A system that has continuously said, I am not one of them - that I am a stranger, that I am unknown, that I am cutting the line and not waiting for my time.”
Cummings argues that many in the CPP are clinging to this one last chance for power and will do anything to make sure of it. “The CPP was not formed to make any one person President or Vice President, that is why we have laid out a democratic process to select our candidate. All I have consistently asked is that we go through this process and if I do not win, I will respect and support the outcome. Yet the fear that I will win through that process is what is fueling this malicious reputation damage.”
“This may be politics to them, but it is evil and malicious. They may have succeeded
temporarily as no matter what we say today, there are some people who will not believe us, but I promise you, they will fail.”
Cummings is calling on all Liberians to seek out the truth. “As difficult as it seems today - as even more challenging as the road ahead may be - my faith remains strong; my hope is unwavering; and my belief in the Liberian people remains unfaltering.”