By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
“Tick-tack”, the clock may be ticking on time bomb as Liberia wrestles with itself during this electoral period. What appears to be a window of insight in what many described as the beginning of violence took place Friday, December 15th when partisans of the Liberty Party of Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine and those of the Coalition for Democratic Change clashed at the headquarters of Liberty Party.
It all started when officials of the two parties had agreed to have started the endorsement program at the LP headquarters and later march to the CDC headquarters, but things did not materialize as some aggrieved partisans of the Liberty Party felt that their Standard-bearer and founder, Cllr. Brumskine was out for the country and he had neither agreed nor informed them about the endorsement.
The partisans prevented the group of the CDC that was carrying the musical set and other partisans to have made the program celebratory.
The aggrieved partisans closed the gates to the party headquarters when partisans of the CDC on board a float attempted entering the compound as it was planned to march with the members to the headquarters of the CDC, which is couple of feet down the road.
Stones and bottles were thrown at each other until the intervention of officers of the Liberian National Police.
The aggrieved partisans, who didn’t support the endorsement, said the party’s political leader who is said to be out of the country did not sanction the planned endorsement.
In an interview, Mr. Darius Dillon, Liberty Party’s Vice Chairman for Political Affairs said the party has not reached a decision on endorsement and he and other aggrieved partisans were awaiting the arrival of the party’s political leader.
“Liberty Party is not a military institution; people have their individual rights to move freely if any executive member of the party, who decides individually to pledge support somewhere it is their right,” Mr. Dillon said.
“What I can tell you is that Liberty Party, as an institution, has made no clear determination as to whom to endorse in the run-off. We are deriving at a decision that will be announced upon his arrival, and one thing I can say we will not be neutral,” Dillon stressed.
In response to question as to whether the LP still holds commitment to the Ganta Declaration, he responded: “The people abandoned the Ganta Declaration long time ago.
On endorsing Senator Weah and the CDC, Liberty Party Chairman and Vice Standard Bearer Harrison Karnwea, Sanvee said: “Senator Weah, we endorse your candidacy for President of Liberia because we believe in the physical votes and because the people have spoken and because they have spoken we should listen.”
“We want you to be graceful, humble and accept victory with magnanimity and to know that you are not better than others who ran but you happen to be their choice,” they added.
The LP leaders also cautioned the CDC political leader of fulfilling the hopes and ambitions of the people who he claimed are in desperation.