By: H. Richard Fallah
The Senator of Grand Bassa County, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, has been narrating relative to recent reports concerning her alleged refusal to be a running-mate of the standard bearer of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander Benedict Cummings.
Speaking recently in Buchannan, Grand Bassa County, the Senator said, in relation to Mr. Cummings’ Alternative National Congress (ANC), she and her team did not see it necessary to form a political alliance with the ANC.
Senator Lawrence: “We believe actors on our national political stage must have a deeper self-examination of trending political events that could lend themselves to political collaboration or the reverse thereof.”
The two (2) term Senator of Grand Bassa County noted that, it would be a deviation and indeed a betrayal of the trust and confidence of the thousands of partisans to unwittingly find the Political Leader sitting on the ticket with Mr. Alexander Benedict Cummings in light of his unending support to the man (Musa Bility) whose desire is to render the Liberty Party politically paralyzed and divided.
According to Senator Karnga-Lawrence, the LP’s Chairman, Musa Hassan Bility is recalcitrant that he does not recognize the authority of the Political Leadership of the Liberty Party, something she said, the ANC, through its actions and inactions, tacitly supported and concretized all along, thereby rendering his belated attempt to change course to have limited effects.
Senator Karnga Lawrence said, what is even more disturbing and unconscionable is the fact that the ANC folks are inclined to believe that the only way she and her team could gain control of the Liberty Party, is to accept the running mate slot, and every other thing will fall into place.
“To accept such an offer will demonstrate sheer greed for power on our part, and this will be the less honorable path to tread,” she mentioned.
The “Lioness” of the Liberian Senate as she is affectionately called by her admirers, further explained that to form a presidential ticket with individuals who conspired with a compromised system to rob her and her team of deserved justice, would only be interpreted as approving the same system that they (LP) are endeavoring to change.
“Even more, it would be a demonstration of desperation for political power. We could never and will never fall in such trap,” she maintained.
On the other hand, the LP strong Woman described Liberian People’s Party (LPP) political leader, Cllr. Tiawon Saye Gongloe, as an astute statesman who has in both public and private life, demonstrated, like the Liberty Party’s founding father, Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine, the commitment to reform the Liberian Nation.
According to her, from the overwhelming feedback from consultations with partisans and supporters both at home and abroad, many persons did not favor her (Nyonblee) pairing with Cllr. Gongloe, at this time.
However, she recognized Cllr. Gongloe’s endless fight for social justice and economic opportunities for “our people”.
Some political observers are of the opinion that the action of the Unity Party standard bearer, Joseph Boakai, to ignore the pick of Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence as his running mate on April 28, 2023, created a golden opportunity for Mr. Alexander Cummings and Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe, to have a perfect pair which would have added momentum to their political campaign.
The ANC of Mr. Cummings and the LPP of Tiawan Gongloe have both been holding series of consultations with members of the Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence faction of the Liberty Party with the sole purpose of resolving to move forward and correcting the mistakes they thought JNB has made.
The hope of the ANC standard bearer (Cummings) and the LPP Political leader (Cllr. Gongloe ) capturing the Grand Bassa County Senator finally ended when the Nyonblee Faction of the Liberty Party officially endorsed the Boakai-Koung`s ticket on May 14, 2023, at the fair ground in Buchannan, Grand Bassa county.
Senator Lawrence, in her endorsement statement, said, the decision to support the Presidential bid of Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai was guided by the following considerations: the safeguarding of the political image of me and my team; the general direction of our partisans and supporters; the prospects of forming a winning ticket at this time of the electoral calendar; and, the long-term best interest of the nation.”.
Senator Karnga-Lawrence: “Therefore, in consideration of the selfless agenda that we brought to the table when we embarked on the journey with this astute statesman and following two weeks of consultations with a broad spectrum of the membership of our party, stakeholders and sympathizers at home and abroad, I am pleased to announce that we wholeheartedly endorse the Boakai-Koung Ticket.”
She said her loyalty to country is stronger and more important than her personal ambition or the personal ambition of any other individual.