Liberia: Politics – Marvin Cole Cross Carpet to Bility’s CMC
MONROVIA — Bong County District #3 Representative Josiah Marvin Cole, a former ally of ex-President George Weah and a fierce critic of the Boakai administration, has formally joined the opposition Citizens Movement for Change (CMC.)
Cole announced his switch during a ceremony Saturday at his residence in Gbarnga, where he was flanked by CMC Standard Bearer Musa Hassan Bility and a crowd of supporters. The move follows months of public discontent by the lawmaker over his treatment by both the ruling Unity Party and his former party, the National Patriotic Party (NPP).
“The Unity Party government lied on me and said I was part of those who burned the Capitol Building,” Cole said during the event, referring to a police investigation that implicated him and several other lawmakers in an arson attack earlier this year. “I was taken to jail. And the NPP Chairman told the public he supports the Unity Party’s claim that I was guilty.”
Cole accused both parties of conspiring to ruin his political reputation, but credited Bility and the CMC for standing by him when he felt politically abandoned.
“Many of you think I’m a bad man because I’ve chosen to join Bility’s party,” Cole said. “But let me tell you why I made this decision. When my radio station broke down, a humble man came to help me. That man was Musa Hassan Bility–he rescued me.”
The defection comes less than six months after Cole formally resigned from the NPP on Jan. 23, 2024, citing alleged constitutional violations and what he described as a lack of due process after he was suspended by party leadership. Despite being a staunch supporter of former President Weah, Cole never joined the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), the dominant party in the Weah-led Coalition for Democratic Change alliance.
Instead, Cole is now aligning with Bility’s fast-growing CMC, pledging to mobilize political support for the party in Bong County, a key battleground in Liberian politics.
CMC Standard Bearer Bility welcomed Cole into the party and immediately appointed him as National Vice Chair for Operations. As part of his induction, Bility presented Cole with a brand-new pickup truck to support his grassroots activities.
“I’ve always wished to have Rep. Cole on my team,” Bility said. “When I see a good leader, one who truly cares about his people, I can recognize it. At the Capitol Building, Cole consistently approached me to discuss how we could better serve the citizens of District #3.”
Bility also declared Bong County the “regional capital” of the CMC and promised to initiate development projects in the area as part of his broader campaign strategy.
Cole’s defection is likely to shake up political dynamics in Bong County, where he maintains a loyal base and has proven to be a formidable campaigner. The move gives CMC a high-profile foothold in central Liberia as the party positions itself as an alternative to both the ruling Unity Party and the remnants of the former ruling coalition.
By New Republic.
