…As He Pitches His Vision for Liberia
By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: Standard Bearer of Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Alexander Benedict Cummings has broken silence, apparently defending for the first time, his association with Musa Hassan Bility, Chairman of the Liberty Party.
Bility, who is also former Head of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) is facing a 10-year ban by the Federation of International Football Association, (FIFA), a world governing body of soccer, for acts of corruption.
Cummings spoke at an intellectual gathering over the weekend that lasted for almost thirty minutes. The Meeting occurred with less than six months to the October 10, 2023 Presidential and Legislative elections when Liberians are being cautioned against electing individuals suspected or convicted of acts of corruption and bad governance.
While Bility, a former Liberian FA President has lost his appeal filed before the Court of Arbitration for Sports against FIFA, Mr. Cummings said, these are allegations which have not been proven in a court of competent jurisdiction.
“These are allegations against people, nothing has been proven against people, they are all allegations. In Liberia, people can say, and allege a lot of things; and the other thing I want to say is, I can’t do anything about the past,” Cummings told citizens at the Old Road Intellectual Center.
Mr. Cummings was responding to a question about the integrity of some the people around him such as Bility. Bility’s appeal against the FIFA’s decision against him was dismissed while the decision of FIFA Adjudicatory Chamber of the Ethics Committee on February 12, 2019 was confirmed.
This means that Mr. Musa Bility’s 10-year ban on allegation of corruption remains in place.
The CPP Standard Bearer has consistently he is prepared to fix Liberia, that according to him, is a product of bad governance and corruption.
“The Liberia we want to develop going forward everybody will be expected to follow the rules and if you don’t obey the law going forward, when I become President, we will punish you, I don’t care who you are,” said Cummings.
According to Mr. Cummings, it is about the way forward for Liberia and not judging people based on allegations.
Pitching his plans, the CPP standard bearer added that he envisioned a one Liberia wherein every well-meaning citizen will have a share of the national resources void of discrimination.
He said, however, those who will be deprived from enjoying or taking part in the bowl of opportunities are people who will choose to break the laws of the country.
“I can say to you young people and women here, we want to promise you that your life will change, your life will be different comes January next year,” the CPP Standard bearer emphasized.
“The lead policy for unemployed youths in Liberia under the Cummings led administration, will be a youth service program that will also provide skills and jobs opportunities,” he stated.
“For our women who are doing their market and in need of credit to grow your market, we will make it available,” he assured at the occasion.
Musa Hassan Bility, is the Chairman and CEO of Srimex Oil Gas company in Liberia.
The 10-year ban was placed on Bility for allegedly stealing money earmarked by the International Football Association to help with Ebola awareness campaign during its outbreak in Liberia.
The EVD, characterized as Pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) killed 11, 000 people in West Africa come at a time when debate about integrity is growing ahead of the October 10 Presidential and Legislative elections.
Bility, Chairperson of the troubled-riddled Liberty Party, and trusted Ally of Mr. Alexander Cummings who is seeking to remove incumbent Liberian President, George Weah, from state-power on allegations of bad governance, corruption and poor leadership.
Like Boakai, many are also wondering that a Bility company with Cummings could undermine the integrity argument proffered by Mr. Cummings and those in the CPP.
