Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia’s main opposition party, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), has rejected accusations of lawlessness following its eviction from disputed property in the capital, insisting it is pursuing its case strictly through the courts.
Eugene Lenn Nagbe, a senior party official and former chief of staff to ex-president George Weah, said in a radio interview Monday that the CDC has acted as a lawful tenant and would continue to challenge the government’s enforcement measures.
“The CDC is not lawless. A lawless person takes to the streets, not the courts,” Nagbe told local broadcaster OK FM on August 25. “We have been paying rent and even depositing money with the court. We are simply asserting our rights through legal channels.”
The dispute centers on a 4.23-acre property in Congo Town which the CDC has occupied for nearly two decades. Two rival parties; the Bernard Estate and businessman Ibrahima Dempster, have laid claim to ownership, sparking years of litigation.
Despite a Supreme Court ruling in May confirming the Bernard Estate’s ownership and ordering the party to vacate, the CDC continued making payments to Dempster, including a $350,000 transfer, while also paying into a court escrow account.
Enforcement of the court’s ruling came earlier this month when police and sheriffs, backed by heavy equipment, demolished the party’s headquarters. The action sparked anger among opposition figures who accused the government of excessive force and political intimidation.
Nagbe said the party intends to file new legal proceedings after the Independence Day holiday, seeking accountability for the destruction of private belongings during the eviction.
“Tomorrow, after the holiday, the CDC will be filing another case to hold accountable those responsible for the destruction of properties belonging to individual legal tenants,” he said.
Founded in 2004, the CDC is the political movement of former football star George Weah, who rose to the presidency in 2017 before losing re-election in 2023. The eviction of the party from its symbolic headquarters comes as Liberia’s political climate remains tense, with opposition leaders accusing President Joseph Boakai’s administration of selective justice.
The CDC maintains that it has invested more than one million US dollars in lease payments since first occupying the site, and says the dispute is far from over.
About the Author
