MONROVIA — Former President George Weah has spoken out following the demolition of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) headquarters, describing the eviction as “partisan political mischief” by the Unity Party (UP)-led government under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
In a statement issued Saturday, Weah called the destruction of the CDC compound in Congo Town “unfortunate and regrettable” but urged partisans and supporters to remain calm, law-abiding, and respectful of due process.
“Fellow Liberians, especially our supporters and sympathizers, I encourage you to stay calm, remain law-abiding, and respect due process in the interest of our democracy, the rule of law, and peaceful coexistence among all Liberians,” Weah said.
The former president accused the Boakai administration of disregarding the rule of law and abusing power, claiming the police acted on direct orders from the president despite the CDC’s pending appeals in court.
“This was not a lawful eviction; it was a failed mission to destroy and erase the CDC in an attempt to fulfil the very wish Boakai has repeatedly expressed to his lieutenants,” Weah charged.
He described the demolition as a threat to Liberia’s fragile peace and democracy, adding: “Their list of violations grows daily—from police brutality against ordinary citizens to outright disregard of court orders.”
Despite condemning the government’s actions, Weah assured his partisans that the CDC would rebound from the setback. He announced the establishment of a Special National Headquarters Delivery Committee to spearhead the construction of a new “modern, state-of-the-art headquarters.”
“While the loss of our office building is a setback, I want to emphasize that it is only temporary. We shall overcome this sooner rather than later, thanks to your unwavering commitment, determination, and resilience,” Weah said.
The CDC political leader, however, cautioned supporters against violence. “I must be clear: resist the temptation to take the law into your own hands. However disappointed we are by this outcome, I call on each of you to continue respecting the law and due process,” he emphasized.
Weah vowed that the party’s identity and strength transcend physical structures, saying: “The unity, strength, and identity of our party and coalition are not found in bricks and mortar. They live in the minds, hearts, and fighting spirit of our teeming supporters.”
The former president concluded by expressing optimism about the CDC’s political future, declaring: “Together, we will build a better homeland for our party. So help me God. God bless Liberia.”
CDC partisans woke up Saturday morning to the sight of bulldozers tearing down their party headquarters after the government, acting on the orders of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Montserrado, carried out the eviction. Police and court sheriffs, some wearing masks, oversaw the operation that leveled the compound, including the Munah E. Pelham Youngblood Vocational School located on the premises.
Speaking to reporters at the Roberts International Airport upon his return from Japan, President Boakai defended the demolition, insisting it was a lawful enforcement of a court ruling and not a political decision.
“The law is the law. It is not the government; it is the government’s implementation of the law,” Boakai said. “The police were ordered to carry out the action, and they did. That demolition was simply the removal of people from premises that did not belong to them.”
