The Publisher and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hot Pepper, Mr. Philipbert S. Browne, has condemned the allegation that he does not want to see the ground on which Alexander B. Cummings walks. Cummings is Standard Bearer and Political Leader of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and a potential presidential candidate for the 2023 general and presidential elections.
Mr. Browne’s clarification was prompted by an allegation from the ANC inner circle that he hates Cummings so much that he does not want to have anything to do with him, his party and his campaign, an allegation he termed as baseless and untrue, describing anyone who harbors that thought as wicked.
Expressing his shock to the Hot Pepper over the weekend, Mr. Browne said he has absolutely no cause to dislike Cummings. According to him, he met Cummings only once in his adult life some two years ago, and their encounter was characterized by frank exchanges and mutual respect for one another.
He maintained that he harbors no ill will for Cummings, and that there must be a motive for him to do any such thing, but wondered what would that motive be. He noted that Cummings has caused him no physical injury, no emotional stress and is not an obstacle to his economic growth. “So, what would be the motive for me to dislike a man whom I have hardly known?” he wondered.
“Perceptions and lies have sent a lot of innocent people to their early graves. I am making it unequivocally clear: I do not hate Cummings, but have utterly no intention of working for him or joining his publicly relations team. So for those of you who are spreading this willful lie, please, in the name of the Almighty God, stop! This is how many innocent souls have gone to their early graves,” Mr. Browne warned.
With all of this obtaining, he said he was coerced to call Cummings via cell-phone to inquired “if he thinks that I hate him. To the surprise of my inquiry, Cummings replied, ‘I think you are being too neutral.” However, he said, thinking that the telephone conversation with Cummings would have closed the chapter, he received another call from an ANC insider, asking him why he hates the ground that Cummings walks on, which he said prompted the article of clarification.
He explained that, as if the misinformation surrounding Cummings was not enough, it has become worse with the Coalition for Democratic (CDC) and those who find themselves in the circle of President George M. Weah. According to him, it is being fed to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) that he is working for Cummings as “chief propagandist”.
“Let me make it unequivocally clear… Liberia is a wicked country with wicked people in high places. Anyone who doesn’t see the looming danger and bloodbath that is characterizing the writing on the wall and think they can play games between two competing forces, that person is a DAMN FOOL.
“I am far removed from being a DAMN FOOL. Like always, I do not play deceit or political games… if I am for you, I am for you. But if you are still wondering which side of the divide I belong to, then you need to search your soul as to what transpired during the 2021 Watch Night, who preached and who honored my wife and I, and which church was it,” Mr. Browne clarified.