Liberia’s political landscape is fraying after the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), launched a fierce attack on President Boakai’s government, accusing it of unleashing “state terror” and converting public institutions into arms of political conflict.
The CDC’s allegations, contained in a dramatic press release issued today, center on an early morning police invasion on December 6th. According to the party, armed officers of the Liberian National Police (LNP) “descended upon” and barricaded the construction site of the CDC’s new headquarters in Monrovia. The party labeled the move a “coordinated political attack” and “calculated choreography of a regime desperate to instill fear.”
The statement frames this incident as the latest in a series of aggressive acts by the state. The CDC references the controversial demolition of its former headquarters earlier this year—an action authorities defended as legal but the party calls “looted and demolished.” They further allege a prior incident where police stormed a CDC facility to serve court documents intended for a different location entirely.
“These are not mishaps. These are deliberate provocations,” the release states, warning of a “dangerous narrative” under President Boakai. In a direct and personal attack, the CDC alleges that Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman has abandoned neutrality to become a “political operative.” The party contrasts the police’s permissive stance during the ruling Unity Party’s recent “Homecoming” celebration—where partisan supporters flooded the streets—with what they describe as the “rigid, aggressive, and hostile” police response to a CDC event.
“This selective enforcement of authority exposes a police high command that serves as a shield for the ruling order,” the CDC claims, arguing this “erodes public trust and drags our nation toward instability.” The opposition’s broadside extends to the entire Unity Party apparatus. It accuses government appointees of “shameless” violation of the Code of Conduct by engaging in overt political activities, stating the party “has no moral authority to lecture anyone about governance, ethics, or integrity.”
Most strikingly, the CDC accuses the Boakai administration of crossing a grave red line: transforming the Executive Mansion into a “political propaganda machine.” The release condemns the use of official government communication channels to broadcast the Unity Party’s Homecoming as a “desecration of the presidency” and a sign of “a dangerous descent.”
Marking a severe escalation in rhetoric, the CDC warned that its patience is wearing thin. While claiming a record of restraint, the party asserted that the regime has “misread our discipline as submission.” The statement concludes with a thinly veiled call for mass opposition, invoking the “revolutionary spirit” of the Liberian people and declaring that “Boakai’s draconian tactics will be met with the resolve of a free people.”
In its most incendiary passage, the CDC vows, “We will defend our democracy… And if the moment calls for it, we will resist with our lives.” This statement represents the most severe condemnation yet from the former ruling party, employing language that recalls periods of deep national crisis. The allegations of “state terror,” the personal indictment of the police chief, and the promise of life-risking resistance move far beyond standard political grievance, potentially signaling a dangerous new phase of zero-sum political conflict in Liberia.
The Boakai administration has yet to issue an official response to these grave accusations. How it chooses to address them—and whether the CDC follows through on its militant rhetoric—will be critical tests for Liberia’s fragile democratic peace.