Congress for Democratic Change (CDC’s) former chairman Horatio Gould has disclosed plans that he and some breakaway partisans to establish a new political party for the 2017 presidential and legislative elections. Gould now heads the breakaway partisans following CDC’s controversial convention held recently in Tubmanburg, Bomi County in western Liberia. Gould names the proposed party “Independent Congress for Democratic Change (CDC)”.
Gould made the disclosure recently when the breakaway group of the CDC held its first mass meeting at the Susan Berry Institute in Congo.
According to him, the decision to establish a new CDC was, among other situations, prompted by the manner in which he and other partisans were treated during the party’s convention.
Gould said the CDC was organized as a political party to ensure the realization of true democracy in the country and work in changing the lives of the many suffering Liberians, but claimed the party has failed over the years due to what he calls “non- productive ideas” of some partisans and other executive members.
He further alleged that the Weah’s CDC was being few individuals for their selfish interest; something he described as total disgrace and slap in the face of the objectives for which the party was established.
The CDC’s former chairman expresses the conviction that if accredited by the National Elections Commission (NEC), Liberia’s electoral body, the proposed Independent CDC would make great changes in the political life of Liberia, especially if the party takes state power following the 2017 legislative and presidential elections; adding, “Weah’s CDC will find it difficult to take stake power in Liberia the party lacks togetherness and there are individuals within the party who consider political institutions as their personal property.” A CDC stalwart has dismissed Gould’s claims and, in turn, branded him (Gould) as ‘man without vision.”
Although Gould says he’s not contesting the presidency in the 2017 elections, he speaks of the important to organize a new CDC “because it could lead Liberia to better change in the political arena.”
According to him, the standard bearer for the new CDC for presidency in the 2017 elections will be decided by a vast majority of Liberians who have interest and believe that it would change the political status of the Country.
He pointed out that Liberia now needs a leadership of change because the country today is facing so many challenges including the lack of safe drinking water, electricity, good health, good roads and better education facilities.
Gould’s statement opens fresh debates among political pundits who wonder whether this will be a reform or a renegade to the CDC. At the many atai centers visited, the proposed CDC topped discussions as some compare this situation to split that occurred between the Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) and Prince Johnson’s Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), immediately after launching the infamous insurgence on Liberia in 1989.
Their comparison came from the background where Gould was accused of masterminding hooliganism at the recent convention, leading to the injuries of several partisans; even though he has since denied the allegation.
On the other hand, some political pundits differed with this comparison on grounds that the CDC breakaway was not done through the barrels of guns as was experienced between Taylor and Johnson. They said the Taylor-Johnson issue was far from what is obtaining in the CDC, and praised Gould for taking such a welcoming democratic step to test his group’s strength.
Gould was barred from contesting the chairmanship of the main CDC during its convention by executives of the party on grounds that he misapplied money entrusted to him during the 2005 elections when he served as National Chairman.
