ECOWAS To Visit Liberia After Weah Files Complaint Against Government

Emmanuel EjioforAugust 26, 20241 Mins read256

George Weah (Left), and President Joseph Boakai (Right).

A high-level delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is expected to visit Liberia in response to a formal complaint from former President George Weah against the Liberian presidency.

Weah, in the letter sent Saturday, complained of what he called an “unprovoked attack” on his political party’s headquarters, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), by the administration of President Joseph Boakai, FrontPageAfrica reported.

The complaint was not only sent to ECOWAS but also to key diplomatic missions in Liberia, including the United States Embassy, the United Nations, and the European Union.

The incident in question occurred last Thursday when a drug raid near the CDC’s headquarters in Monrovia led to a violent clash between police and CDC supporters.

In his letter to ECOWAS, Weah urged the organisation to protect Liberia’s democracy, which he believes is under threat from the current administration’s “misuse of power.” He also called for the release of CDC supporters and other citizens detained during the raid.

“We demand their immediate and unconditional release,” Weah wrote. He described the raid as a “premeditated and callous act of violence” and accused the Boakai administration of trying to weaken the CDC’s political influence.

Weah also claimed that civil servants seen as sympathetic to the CDC are being harassed and removed from their positions. He asserted that the CDC party will continue to defend its rights within the constitution and remain a “vibrant political force” in Liberia.

He urged ECOWAS to send the message to President Boakai, stressing that while the CDC is committed to peace, it will not tolerate the abuse of the political party’s rights.

Weah was the president of Liberia for a term (2018–2024) and lost his re-election bid to President Boakai in 2023. As the face of CDC, the former world’s best football player is eyeing a return to the presidential seat in the next election. Weah has, in recent times been critical of Boakai’s administration and policies.

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