Opposition Merger Taking Shape: Brumskine, Weah, Mason in Monrovia Talks

By Precious Seeboe,

Source: FrontPage Africa

COALITION BUILDUP: Progressive icon Dew Mason, left and George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change emerge from a four-hour meeting at the Rose Garden on Broad Street Friday night. Mason, Weah and Liberty Party’s Charles Brumskine met for the first time since a FrontPageAfrica revelation that both Weah and Brumskine had agreed to join forces and possible for a dream ticket to challenge incumbent Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. FrontPageAfrica has learned that a joint statement is expected to be released to the public Saturday.


Three key opposition forces aligned for four hours Friday in an attempt to solidified a united front in hopes of forming a viable coalition to challenge incumbent Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in next year’s Presidential and Legislative Elections in Liberia.

Liberty Party’s Charles Brumskine, Congress for Democratic Change George Weah and progressive icon Dew Mayson met for the first time since a FrontPageAfrica revelation that both Weah and Brumskine had agreed to join forces and possible dream ticket to challenge Sirleaf.

Liberty Party's Charles Brumskine emerges from the Rose Garden after holding talks with Weah and Mason Friday. Brumskine flew in from Accra, Ghana along with Weah Friday.

Details of the meeting have been sketchy as all sides remain tightlipped emerging out of Friday’s talks at the Rose Garden Building located on Crown Hill Broad Street, which went deep into the evening. Weah, in an earlier appearance at the CDC's headquarters in Congotown sougth to brace his supporters to expect what appears to be the inevitable. "Whatever happens from here on, it is important that all of you turned out to vote."

Prior to the meeting of the trio, both Brumskine and Weah met in the Ghanaian capital Accra before arriving in Monrovia Friday afternoon.

While initial reports suggested that both Weah and Brumskine had agreed for Weah to run number two to Brumskine, sources informed FrontPageAfrica that the final decision on the arrangement is being delayed as efforts are made to incorporated more opposition figures into the equation.

Mayson’s emergence is key. The former head of the National Investment Commission was crucial to the election of Sirleaf in the 2005 presidential elections and is expected to be a major player in the formation of the opposition buildup.

Last week, both Weah and Brumskine agreed that it was important for opposition forces to align and avoid the multiplicity of candidates which hogged the elections in 2005. Said Brumskine after a phone call to Weah last week: "A time for every member of the opposition political community to come together and finally make possible a transition to constitutional democracy. I, therefore, call on all opposition political parties to seize the moment and capitalize on the gift of unity handed to us by one of the opposition’s most renowned champions. We must develop a singleness of purpose, as we proceed during the painstaking process of producing a winnable slate of candidates, platform and strategy for a much desired 2011 victory”.

For Weah, it is all about sacrifice for now. “Each of us who are leaders in the opposition community must be prepared to sacrifice personal ambitions to achieve a single slate of candidates - a more responsible, united and credible alternative for the 2011 elections. Enough time has been spent by each of us pursuing our personal ambitions and objectives while the Liberian people have endured the failed leadership of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. It is time to embark upon a new course for the opposition community and for the country.”