The presidential bid of the Standard Bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander B. Cummings, is reportedly losing relevance, with prominent personalities who are expected to influence the electorate parting ways with the Team Cummings 2023 just a few months to the elections.
On Sunday, July 16, 2023 a political heavyweight in Grand Bassa politics and former Minister of Defense, Daniel Chea, publicly stabbed the Team Cummings 2023—the official campaign structure of Cummings’ presidency—and announced support for the presidency of President George M. Weah.
This hard-hit comes at a time when Cummings has selected his running mate from Grand Bassa County, Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine, with the expectation that the sons and daughters of Bassaland would support his candidacy, if not for his sake but for their daughter’s. However, an admired political stakeholder in Bassa politics has left the camp, leaving observers to wonder if the CPP is actually favored by Bassaland, especially so when there are other major figures in Bassa politics who did not support the CPP, including the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gbezohngar M. Findley, and Chief Zanzan Kawor, the Chief Zoe of the Republic of Liberia.
The former Minister of Defense, Chea, is accredited for his role in defending Buchanan against looters and murderers of the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) during the civil crisis that erupted during the administration of Charles Taylor. MODEL came from the way of Ivory Coast, entered through Maryland and launched an attack on the Taylor administration.
Besides his defense role for the people Grand Bassa, Chea’s mother is said to be the chief zoe of Grand Bassa County, and because of her he always receives the blessings of the elders and traditional leaders of the county. He owns a large rubber farm in Grand Bassa County, creating employment opportunity for several residents of the county.
It can be recalled that Daniel Chea contested the May 7, 2023 senatorial by-election of Grand Bassa County as an independent candidate, emerging second to Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, who won the election with less than a 2,000-vote margin. He also contested the 2017 election and emerged third.
Chea’s endorsement of President Weah is said to be stemmed from what he termed the Weah administration’s “immense contribution” to the rubber sector in Liberia, which he is a player in. He recently disclosed that government is about to invest US$11.5 million in the rubber sector, and that the effort to empower rubber farmers across the country will add value to the rubber industry and enable the sector to grow speedily.
Chea quitting the Cummings campaign team at this time of the electioneering period is being considered a slap in the face of Cummings’ bid for the presidency and morale of the Team Cummings, especially in Grand Bassa County.
Just recently, the former Youth Chairman of the Liberty Party (LP) during the Standard Bearership of Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine and member of Team Cummings 2023, Chernor Jalloh, left the team, joining ranks with the Liberian National Union (LINU), headed by Dr. Clarence Moniba. Jalloh, who largely draws his political strength from the youth and student communities, as well as the Fula community, recently declared his support for the presidential bid of Dr. Moniba.
Observers are beginning to question the leadership ability of Cummings and his expected governing team if the CPP wins the election, amidst the mass exodus from his campaign team.