Sources inside the Liberty Party (LP) say the party’s top leadership has unanimously rejected an invitation from the Unity Party (UP) to participate in its December 6 homecoming event, citing longstanding grievances and a need for “equity and respect” within the governing alliance. According to party insiders, the LP’s National Executive Committee, National Advisory Council, and National Stakeholders Committee convened late Tuesday at the residence of the party’s Political Leader.
After reviewing the UP’s invitation, the leadership concluded that no executive member from any of the party’s three leadership structures should attend the event. During the meeting, LP leaders reaffirmed their support for President Joseph Boakai’s administration but stressed that the Liberty Party “has never been and will never be an auxiliary of the Unity Party.” Party sources say several unresolved issues have strained relations within the alliance, including:
The UP’s “constant disregard” of Alliance Chairperson Pro-Tempore Senator Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence in major coalition decision-making Reported comments by the UP chairman referring to LP and other alliance partners as “helping verbs” An alleged incident following the UP’s 2023 election victory in which the UP chairman asked LP representatives to “excuse the room,” insisting the win belonged solely to the Unity Party “These actions have gone far enough,” one source said. “UP must understand that we are partners in this alliance and deserve respect.”
The decision reportedly extends to all LP officials serving in government, including lawmakers elected on the party’s ticket. They have been instructed not to appear at the UP’s December 6 gathering. While internal tensions remain unresolved, LP sources emphasized that the party still supports President Boakai and his administration. However, they insisted that the Unity Party must acknowledge LP’s contributions and treat the party as a full and respected partner moving forward.
But Liberty Party (LP) Vice Chairman for Press and Public Affairs and Chief Spokesman, Daniel Sando, has strongly refuted reports claiming that the party has boycotted the Unity Party’s December 6 Homecoming program. Sando described the circulating report as false, misleading, and intended to sow confusion within the ruling alliance. The disputed report alleged that the LP’s National Executive Committee, National Advisory Council, and National Stakeholders Committee unanimously agreed to reject the Unity Party’s invitation due to grievances over “equity and respect” within the coalition.
It further claimed that LP officials, including those serving in government, had been instructed not to attend the event. But Sando dismissed the claims as pure fabrication, stressing that no such meeting or decision took place within the Liberty Party. He clarified that the party remains committed to cooperation within the alliance and continues to support President Joseph Boakai and his administration. According to him, the narrative that LP leadership had organized a boycott is “a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and undermine unity among alliance partners.”
