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ADNews-Monrovia, Liberia: Former Liberian President George Manneh Weah has vowed to rally the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and other “well-meaning Liberians” to resist what he described as an attempt by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration to undermine Liberia’s democracy.
Weah’s statement follows the arrest and detention of former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor on allegations linked to drug-related crimes.
In a statement issued on August 19, 2026, Weah, who is the Political Leader of the CDC, accused the Boakai administration of increasingly using what he called “extrajudicial powers” to violate the constitutional rights of opposition figures.
“What we all witnessed today has further revealed the extent of our democratic decline in the last few years, marked by the continuous use of extrajudicial powers by President Joseph Boakai to trample upon the constitutional rights of Liberians who hold opposing views,” Weah said.
He described former Vice President Taylor as the latest victim of what he characterized as “rising authoritarian tendencies,” while acknowledging the seriousness of Liberia’s ongoing fight against illegal drugs.
“While we support all legal and judicious efforts to rid Liberia of the current drug epidemic, we condemn attempts to use this crisis to score political points,” Weah stated.
Weah said he has spoken with the former Vice President, who, according to him, “vehemently, strenuously and categorically” denied the allegations against her.
The CDC political leader also criticized the government’s public presentation of the allegations, arguing that the Justice Ministry failed to provide sufficient details to explain how the accusations against Taylor were established.
Weah Questions Government’s Handling of Drug Investigation![Weah]()
Weah further linked Taylor’s arrest to the government’s handling of two major cocaine seizures, which he said together represent nearly half a billion dollars in alleged street value.
He argued that the drug shipments entered Liberia after his administration peacefully transferred power to the Boakai government.
“Rather than treating the investigation with the degree of diligence and urgency it deserves, the government has instead sought to fabricate and concoct connections to the CDC administration,” Weah alleged.
He also accused the government of giving what he described as “a slap on the wrist” to some of its own officials and security personnel who, according to him, have been named or accused in connection with the drug investigations.
However, the former president did not provide specific evidence in his statement to substantiate those allegations.
Appeals to Regional and Continental Leaders
Weah said he has been engaging regional and continental leaders to highlight what he considers a growing threat to Liberia’s democratic institutions, rule of law and national security.
“We have continued engagements with several regional and continental leaders to again reiterate and underscore to them how the rule of law and democracy in Liberia is being systematically undermined, and how grave a danger such action poses to our peace and security,” he said.
Weah maintained that Liberia’s peaceful transfer of power in 2024 should serve as evidence of the country’s commitment to democratic governance.
“Despite a peaceful democratic transition, President Boakai seeks to rule as a tyrant. This we must all resist,” he declared.
Weah Promises Return to Liberia
The former president said he intends to return to Liberia and mobilize the CDC and other Liberians to challenge what he described as the government’s attempt to undermine constitutional democracy.
“Following my engagements, I shall return to Liberia to rally the CDC along with all well-meaning Liberians to resist this tyrannical attempt to trample upon our burgeoning democracy, using all political and legal means guaranteed to us under our constitution,” Weah said.
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