MONROVIA – The newly formed Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) National Headquarters Construction Committee held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, marking the official start of a high-stakes effort to construct a new party seat within one year.
The committee is chaired by the influential former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. The meeting saw a strong show of force, with the majority of its twenty-three members present in person. Those who could not attend physically participated via the video conferencing platform Zoom, demonstrating a unified front despite the recent crisis.
This gathering was primarily an organizational session to outline the monumental task ahead. The committee has already scheduled its second meeting for Monday, September 1, 2025. At that time, the press, the general public, and the party’s vast base of partisans are expected to be briefed on the committee’s concrete plans and strategies for the rebuilding project.
The committee’s formation and urgent timeline are a direct response to the shocking events of Saturday, August 23, 2025. In a pre-dawn operation that sent ripples through the nation’s political landscape, the CDC’s national headquarters was forcibly evicted and subsequently demolished. The action was carried out by court sheriffs who were backed by a heavy presence of state security forces.
The eviction was authorized by a court writ, the culmination of a long-running and complex legal battle over the land’s ownership. While the Supreme Court of Liberia had ultimately upheld the eviction order, its ruling also significantly reshaped the core dispute. The court mandated that the property must undergo a probate process to determine the rightful heirs from the estate of the late original owner, leaving the ultimate ownership question not fully settled.
Crucially, the CDC had filed new legal appeals just prior to the demolition, arguing that the eviction should be halted pending these new probate proceedings. Despite these pending appeals, the police proceeded with the court-ordered operation, a move that has been a central point of contention for the party.
The security operation took an even more alarming turn when officers reported discovering several controversial items on the property. According to official reports, security forces found a firearm, live ammunition, and improvised petrol bombs, often referred to as Molotov cocktails. Additionally, two diplomatic passports belonging to the party’s Secretary-General, Jefferson T. Koijee, were reportedly seized from the premises. Three individuals present at the scene were arrested during the operation.
The mandate for the committee’s creation came directly from former President and CDC Standard Bearer, George Manneh Weah. He has personally charged the committee with overseeing and expediting the construction of a new national headquarters, a project he has deemed critical for the party’s stability and future. The one-year deadline underscores the party’s determination to quickly reestablish a physical center of operations.
Serving alongside Chairman Koffa is Hon. Nathaniel F. McGill, who assumes the role of Co-Chairman. Hon. Eugene Lenn Nagbe has been appointed as the General Coordinator, tasked with the day-to-day management of the project. The full committee is a broad coalition of the party’s top brass, including prominent political figures, senior advisors, and technical experts.
The membership roster includes Amb. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. as an Advisor, Mr. John Youbuty as Treasurer, and Madam Ruth Cooker Collins as a Technical Advisor. It also features representatives from the party’s powerful youth and women’s leagues, Mamina Carr Gaye and Sriyah Musu Isodjee, ensuring the entire party structure has a voice in the rebuilding process. Other notable members include Madam Yvette Freeman, Mr. Quiwu Pepci Yeke, and Cllr. Garrison Yealu.
In a parallel move to finance this ambitious project, the CDC has announced the imminent opening of a designated bank account. This account will be established to facilitate donations and financial support from the party’s sympathizers, partisans, and the general public. The party leadership has expressed confidence in its supporters’ willingness to contribute to the rebuilding of their political home.
To encourage widespread participation, the party plans to diversify its payment methods. This strategy is designed to make it as easy as possible for individuals both within Liberia and in the diaspora to contribute to the fund, leveraging mobile money, bank transfers, and other digital payment platforms.
