By: Julius Konton
In a blistering and unprecedented political escalation, Liberia’s largest opposition bloc, the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), has issued a fiery statement accusing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration of orchestrating a “campaign of state terror” designed to suffocate dissent, weaponize policing, and consolidate partisan control over the nation’s democratic institutions.
The allegation, sweeping, aggressive, and deeply controversial comes after a dramatic confrontation on December 6, 2025, when armed units of the Liberian National Police (LNP) barricaded the construction site of the CDC’s new national headquarters in Congo Town.
In a statement, The Chairman of the CDC, Janga Kowo claimed incident was not an isolated event. It was the latest chapter in what the party describes as “an alleged deliberate, coordinated, and escalating pattern of state-sponsored intimidation.”
A DAWN RAID THAT SHOOK THE CAPITAL
According to the opposition party, the early-morning deployment of police to the CDC construction site resembled “a reenactment of the nation’s darkest political years,” evoking memories of Liberia’s authoritarian past.
Officers blocked access, surrounded the property, and reportedly prevented workers from entering.
“This was not policing, it was intimidation crafted as law enforcement,” the CDC declared.
“A regime choreographing fear to provoke unrest’ he re-emphasized.
The party argues that the same police force had earlier demolished its former headquarters, invaded its premises under questionable pretenses, and executed what the CDC calls “misapplied judicial tactics.”
International observers have not yet issued statements, but political analysts say the accusations if proven could deepen existing tensions in a country still recovering from decades of conflict and fragile democratic transitions.
POLICE CHIEF UNDER FIRE: “NO NEUTRAL ARBITER, A POLITICAL OPERATIVE”
Central to the controversy is Inspector General Gregory Coleman, who the CDC accuses of transforming the national police into a partisan arm of the ruling Unity Party (UP).
The party points to recent events during the UP’s Homecoming festivities, when thousands of motorcycle riders, many openly aligned with the ruling party flooded the streets without police interference.
Yet when the CDC attempted what it describes as “a peaceful and legitimate groundbreaking ceremony,” law enforcement allegedly switched to “aggression and hostility.”
Political scientists say selective policing is one of the most common early indicators of backsliding democracies.
UNITY PARTY OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF HYPOCRISY AND CODE-OF-CONDUCT VIOLATIONS
The CDC also fired at government appointees who, during the UP parade, reportedly wore party regalia, marched through the streets on official time, and converted working hours into partisan celebrations.
This, they say, contradicts years of speeches from the Unity Party accusing the CDC of politicizing governance.
“Those who once preached integrity now spit on the same Code of Conduct they used as a weapon against us,” Chairman Kowo pointed out.
WHEN THE PRESIDENCY BECOMES A MEGAPHONE: EXECUTIVE MANSION IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Perhaps the most explosive allegation involves the Executive Mansion, Liberia’s highest seat of power.
The CDC claims the state’s official communication channels were used to livestream and promote UP political activities, a potentially serious breach of governance ethics.
If accurate, critics say this would collapse the line between government and ruling party, a hallmark of governments drifting toward authoritarianism.
“THE CDC HAS BEEN PATIENT” BUT WARNS OF A BREAKING POINT
Despite the accusations, the CDC says it has maintained restraint out of national duty, arguing that its silence has been wrongly interpreted as weakness.
“Our civility is not submission,” the party warned and Our patience is not defeat.”
The statement portrays the Boakai administration as misreading the opposition’s discipline and escalating provocations accordingly.
“LIBERIANS WILL NOT BOW”: A WARNING OF POSSIBLE RESISTANCE
While reaffirming its commitment to peace, the CDC issued one of its strongest threats since Boakai took office:
“If defending democracy requires resistance, let history record that we stood our ground.”
It’s a line political scholars say mirrors warning signs in other countries where opposition groups felt cornered by ruling administrations from Kenya to Venezuela to Sri Lanka.
The tone signals mounting political tension in the country just two years into Boakai’s presidency.
A NATION WATCHING, A REGION UNEASY
Liberia, long viewed as a democracy rebuilding success story after a brutal civil war, may once again be drifting toward political confrontation.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union have not yet commented, but diplomatic insiders in Monrovia say the situation is being closely monitored.
THE STATEMENT ENDED WITH A DECLARATION OF DEFIANCE:
“The Republic will be defended. Not by fear. Not by silence. Not by surrender.”
EDITOR’S NOTE
This report captures one of the most dramatic and highly charged political confrontations Liberia has witnessed in recent years.
The CDC’s accusations against the Boakai’s administration ranging from claims of “state terror” to allegations of partisan policing and institutional manipulation represent a significant escalation in the country’s political discourse.
As Liberia continues its journey through democratic consolidation, such explosive claims carry weight far beyond partisan exchanges.
They touch the core of national stability, public trust, and the fragile balance between opposition rights and state authority.
This article presents the CDC’s position in detail, not as endorsement, but as part of our journalistic responsibility to document and scrutinize statements that have the potential to influence national and regional political climates.
The Boakai’s administration and the Liberia National Police have not yet issued formal responses to the specific claims raised an important factor our newsroom continues to follow.
Political rhetoric is intensifying, and institutions are under pressure.
It is precisely in such moments that Liberia’s democratic integrity including transparency, rule of law, and the right to dissent faces its most consequential tests.
Our editorial team will continue to monitor developments, seek clarifications from all sides, and provide balanced reporting as events unfold.
