The Standard Bearer and Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander B. Cummings, has called on Liberians to protect their democracy by speaking out and defending what they believe in. Cummings reminded the citizenry to wake up today for their future and the future of all Liberian children.
According to Cummings, those who want change cannot just stand by and watch; real change requires everyone believing, speaking and acting for it to happen. Often, he said, for real change to happen people have to stand up and stand together. “We have to act strongly and speak decisively,” he said.
“And so, today, I ask you not to lose hope. Now is not the time to give up. Like they say, when evil men connive, good people must unite. If you think things are bad, if you are unhappy with where your country is, if you are tired of your living conditions, the time to act is NOW. All across the various tribes, regions, religions, genders and parties, if we don’t stand up and act together, as strongly and as decisively as we should for real change, I assure you… things will only get worse! And it will not just get worse for us today, it will be worst for our children and their children, tomorrow,” he added.
Cummings made the statement over the weekend when he provided update on the court matter between him and the Government of Liberia (GOL), by and through the All Liberian Party (ALP).
He said the Weah administration, with the help of some of members of the opposition, is conniving to go after him because they know he and the ANC represent a different threat—a unique level of seriousness—set out to change the corrupt political system they are presiding over. He argued that the CDC government knows that he and the ANC are the only ones with the integrity to say what they mean and mean what they say, including seriously changing the system, to keep the promises made to the Liberian people not to break up the CPP.
“In order to target me and the ANC, the others would gladly break up the CPP, and will not lose one night of sleep over breaking their promises to the Liberian people. While this has become the normal for many in the current system, lying to our people, breaking promises, it goes against the very fabric of what I and the ANC have proven we are about.
“This is why they have trumped up these false charges against me and the ANC. This is what this trial is about. This is wrong politics. And all Liberians need to pay close attention to this, and join us in acting and speaking out against it.”
He underscored, “By now, I am sure that many of you have heard that Senator Daniel Naatehn, Attorney Aloysius Toe, and I, Chairman, Secretary-General and Standard Bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), have been threatened with arrest, and are currently on trial before the Monrovia Magisterial Court, at the Temple of Justice. We have been charged with ‘forgery and criminal conspiracy’.
“The accusations underlying these charges are totally false and completely baseless. Our accusers, Mr. Benoni Urey and his All Liberian Party (ALP), and the Government of Liberia know these charges are baseless and false. We also now know that Mr. Urey and the Government of Liberia are not alone in this conspiracy to lie and tarnish our hard-earned reputation and integrity.
“Sadly, Mr. Urey and the government are also being supported and cheered on by other leaders and members of the CPP with whom we have worked for more than two years but who are now desperate to break up the CPP out of fear of democratically contesting against us and losing in a primary, the process we agreed to use to choose the Standard Bearer of the CPP in the 2023 Elections.
“These individuals, aware that they will lose to us, now want to break their promises to the Liberian people, but are too cowardly to take responsibility for breaking up the CPP. Hence, they are joining with the government to contrive a lawsuit against the CPP, after more than two years of its continued existence under the same set of rules and obligations.
“Feeling betrayed, of course we are disappointed. But we are not afraid of these accusations, nor are we worried by the hypocrisy. We know the truth is on our side.
“We have assembled a team of great lawyers through whom we are confident the truth will be revealed, the hypocrisy will be exposed, and we will win, and be vindicated.”