By: Varney Dukuly
BUCHANAN, GRAND BASSA CO.: Alexander Benedict Cummings and Charlyne Brumskine reached an ‘agreement in principle’ on Saturday to contest in the October 10 elections as ‘Fixer one and Fixer two’ on the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) ticket, which some observers said is a critical first step towards preventing the Weah’s administration’s grip on state power.
The deal, observers also say, offers the Bassa people the road map for hope on political power in the lead up to the Presidential and Legislative elections.
“It also preserves the argument of women in political leadership in the country,” one university student, who identified himself as Jerry Marwolo, told this paper, minutes after the Cummings-Brumskine deal was endorsed by the people of ‘BassaLand.’
The full details were clear in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County as citizens of the four Bassa speaking counties (Grand Bassa, River Cess, Margibi and Montserrado) troop their way to the endorsement ceremony.
Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine is the daughter of Liberia’s celebrated constitutional lawyer, Charles Walker Brumskine (late), Founding Father of the Liberty Party.
The fate of the Brumskine-Cummings agreement now rests in the hands of the voting population.
The deal became a breakthrough after a marathon set of talks, some CPP supporters said.
“Together Charlyne and I will change Liberia,” Cummings told reporters in Buchanan over the weekend. “The women of Liberia will have equal partnership in the development of Liberia.”
Ms. Brumskine said, she concurred with Mr. Cummings comments while cautioning Liberians to be less concerned with the number of years in government and be more concerned about the urgency of the country’s revival.
“We are at a cross road,” said Ms. Brumskine, one of the prominent members of the Liberty Party and daughter of Grand Bassa County.
“Bassolians, God has given us an opportunity to decide another six years, the choice of now is urgent,” she stressed.
The CPP leaders spoke separately, shortly after the people of Bassa had gathered in huge numbers at the famous ‘Fair Ground’ (Unification Pavilion) in the port city of Buchanan, chanting pro-opposition slogans and holding placards with inscriptions, such as “BassaLand Says Yes.”
Political pundits are discussing the huge turnout of supporters over the weekend in Buchanan with some saying that Grand Bassa County has fallen to CPP ahead of the October 10, Presidential and Legislative elections in the country.
Ms. Brumskine said the choice of now is heard by the ordinary people who are struggling to make ends meet and at the same time lack access to quality healthcare and education, and other basic services across the fifteen political sub-divisions of the country.
“The choice of now is heard in the silence of the investors who supposed to come to Liberia but because of greed and corruption, we have forgone our economic opportunities. They have landed in the lap of other countries,” Fixer Two told the huge gathering.
“Liberians are weary; they have a sense of hopelessness. Liberians believe that our choices are limited, but, I tell you, we have another choice of a man who has a track record of fixing countries and companies and this man has chosen a young Bassa woman to help him fix Liberia and we will fix this country together,” she declared.
The Cummings-Brumskine ticket would attract more votes from the Bassa communities across the country while cutting and capping some women support, according to an official of the CPP who prefers not to be named for this story.
Ms. Brumskine told reporters that she is humbled to be called ‘Fixer Two (2)’ and to serve the nation and its people. She stressed that she will hit the ground running to ascertain the readings and vision of the people for Liberia.
Charlyne Brumskine: “I will close by speaking to all the women who had open the door for me, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; VP. Jewel Howard Taylor; Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott and Madam Leymah Gbowee I say thank you. To the Liberty Party, I say thank you and stand with me as we transform Liberia.”
