Liberia’s president Johnson-Sirleaf expelled from ruling party

Liberia’s outgoing ruling Unity Party (UP) has expelled President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf for alleged breach of the party’s constitution.

The party conveyed the decision in a statement issued on Sunday by Mohammed Ali, its assistant secretary general for public outreach.

Ali said the president was ousted on Saturday evening following several violations of the party’s constitution and other “acts inimical to the existence and reputation of the party”.

Johnson-Sirleaf whose 12-year tenure will end on January 22, was accused of breaching rules that require her to support the party’s candidates in elections.

The outgoing president never campaigned for her Vice-President, the UP’s presidential candidate, Joseph Boakai, during the last general election in Liberia.

This fuelled speculation of a rift between her and Boakai, who has been Vice-President for 12 years.

There were also rumours that she secretly supported the candidacy of the President-elect, George Weah, who ran on the platform of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

Weah defeated Boakai in the delayed presidential run-off election on December 26.