‘I’ve Final Say’

Last Updated on Monday, 31 October 2011 11:12 Monday, 31 October 2011 11:01

Written by Boima J.V. Boima

Despite boycott threats from standard bearer Winston Tubman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change has warned officials and partisans of the CDC that he is the only one with   authority to make final decisions on issues concerning the party.

Cllr. Tubman’s remarks follow a statement by CDC Secretary General Acarous Gray, warning the National Elections Commission not to print the photos and names of the party’s standard bearer (Tubman) and his running mate George M. Weah on ballot papers for the runoff election against the ruling Unity Party on 8 November 2011.

He also demanded the removal of NEC chair James Fromayan and the dismantling of the entire commission as precondition before the CDC can participate in the runoff, but stopped short of saying that the party was boycotting the polls.

Mr. Gray told a press conference Wednesday that if President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf wanted a “bitter Liberia, we will give her a bitter Liberia”.

But, in an exclusive interview with this paper Friday,  Cllr. Tubman broke silence  Friday saying: “My position is that, I am the standard bearer of the CDC and I will take the final decision on what the CDC will do. If anybody is saying things that they are saying, they (CDC-Executive Committee members) don’t have the final say. I have the final say.”

“I have inputs in the decisions of the CDC and my position is the final position and I have not taken  the position. I have not gave  the final position. When I take it, I will announce it,” Cllr. Tubman emphasized.

He added: “My position would be in the interest of peace and stability in the country…the reason for which so much sacrifices have been made by so many people. So many people have died for us to reach this far, and that’s what I am going to give.”

The CDC standard bearer also promised to make that position known “very soon so as to sustain the prevailing peace in the country”.