By Sidiki Fofana
A couple of weeks ago, I cautioned my fellow partisans of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) that the effort to defeat the ruling Unity Party must transcend the simple slogan of “Weah Come Back.” It must evolve into a broader, more compelling vision, one that offers not merely renewed hope, but fresh ideas capable of genuinely transforming Liberia.
True opposition unity must therefore aim not simply to reclaim political power, but to build a credible, inclusive, and forward-looking coalition capable of delivering effective governance and national renewal.
No sooner had my ink touched the paper than many whose entire political appetite is fixed in 2029, and who’s political “eating bowl” depends upon another Weah presidency, descended upon me with insults and personal attacks. Their reaction revealed not only the limits of political comprehension, but also a troubling inability to appreciate what genuine political collaboration actually requires.
Yesterday, however, at the successful celebration marking the 22nd Anniversary of the Congress for Democratic Change in Grand Gedeh County, those same ideas were echoed loudly and unmistakably by nearly every opposition leader gathered in solidarity toward building a united front.
The keynote speaker, Mr. Alexander Cummings, grounded his address in a simple but profound principle: opposition unity, if it is truly intended to rescue Liberia, must rise above individual ambition. No individual and no political party, he argued, should approach the process with a sense of superiority.
If Mr. Cummings expressed that principle with eloquence, Hon. Musa Hassan Bility, Political Leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), delivered it with unmistakable bluntness. He reminded the gathering that opposition unity cannot be judged merely by the transfer of political power, but by the quality of those entrusted to exercise it.
That distinction may very well be the most consequential one confronting the Liberian opposition today.
Opposition unity cannot become a coronation ceremony where the presidential candidate is predetermined while other parties are invited merely to decorate the stage and legitimize a foregone conclusion.
Real political collaboration requires open dialogue, mutual respect, shared sacrifice, and the humility to place Liberia above personal ambition. This is the bridge the opposition must cross.
More importantly, it is the difficult truth every supporter, particularly within the CDC, must confront if the real objective is to replace the Unity Party rather than simply restore one individual to the Executive Mansion.
Those are not necessarily the same mission.
If the objective is national redemption, then every option must remain available until the opposition collectively determines which arrangement offers Liberia its strongest opportunity for success.
In fairness, however, Mr. Cummings’ analogy, that one should be willing to serve either as the driver or the carboy if it ensures the vehicle reaches its destination, cannot be applied in precisely the same way to former President George Manneh Weah.
President Weah has already occupied the highest office in the Republic. Political reality makes it difficult to imagine him serving in a subordinate role within a coalition he once led. His experience, national stature, and electoral weight make him far more likely to serve either as the driver or as a principal stakeholder in determining the direction of the vehicle.
That reality deserves acknowledgment. But acknowledging that reality does not answer an even more important question.
Should leadership within a united not be determined solely by who is more able to rally coalition of trust, building capacity, governing vision, policy innovation, public confidence, and the demonstrated ability to unite Liberians across political, regional, and generational divides.
These are the difficult conversations a mature and united opposition must embrace. These are the conversations supporters of all Liberia’s opposition must be ready to answer.
Hon. Bility’s remarks ultimately remind us that this process cannot become a political jackpot where the prize is distributed before the contest even begins. It must instead become a deliberate search for the individual, or combination of leaders, best equipped to rescue Liberia from these rescuers and the country’s present challenges.
For the CDC, this conversation should not be feared. It should be embraced with complete objectivity.
The party must honestly ask itself whether its mission is exclusively to make George Weah President again, or whether the larger mission is to ensure that the Unity Party is democratically replaced, even if that were to require sacrifices, including the personal ambition of President Weah and the hopes of those who sincerely believe that only his presidency can transform their lives.
These are difficult questions.
The point I make is this: a coalition genuinely committed to saving Liberia must never confuse loyalty to an individual with loyalty to the country.
The strongest opposition coalition Liberia has ever assembled will not be built on entitlement. It will be built on trust. Not on political inheritance. But on political persuasion.
The opposition must therefore answer one defining question before 2029: Are we united primarily to make someone President, or are we united to make Liberia better?
If our mission is simply to make someone President, then the destination has already been chosen.
But if our mission is to rescue Liberia, then no option should be excluded until the opposition collectively determines the arrangement that gives the nation its greatest chance of success.
The answer to that question will determine not only who wins the next election, but also whether that victory will be worthy of the sacrifices required to achieve it.
History will ultimately judge the Liberian opposition not by the individual it elevates, but by whether it possessed the courage to place Liberia above personalities, the national interest above political entitlement, and the future of the Republic above the ambitions of any single individual. That is the true test of opposition unity. And that is the only unity worthy of Liberia.
