Unity Party (Liberia): Difference between revisions

Unity Party
Unity Party
Abbreviation	UP
Chairperson	Luther Tarpeh
Senate Leader	Joseph Boakai
Founder	Edward Kesselly
Founded	1984
Ideology	Liberal democracy; Economic liberalism
Political position	Centre to centre-right
International affiliation	International Democrat Union
Continental affiliation	Democrat Union of Africa
Colours	Green and maroon
Slogan	One Nation, One People, With Liberty And Justice For All
Seats in the Senate	13 / 30
Seats in the House	11 / 73
Pan African Parliament	2 / 5
Website
	http://www.theunitypartyliberia.org
	Politics of Liberia; Political parties; Elections;

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The Unity Party (UP) is a political party in Liberia that was started in 1984 by Edward B. Kesselly, also its first standard bearer. Officially founded in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, the party was established on 27 July 1985.^[1] The Unity Party participated in the first elections after the 1980 coup, running against President Samuel Doe in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and is the current ruling party following the 2023 Liberian general election.

In the elections held on 19 July 1997, the UP presidential candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won 9.58% of the vote. The party won seven of 64 seats in the House of Representatives and three of 26 available in the Senate. While international observers deemed the polls administratively free and transparent, they noted that it had taken place in an atmosphere of intimidation because most voters believed that former rebel leader and National Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate Charles Taylor would return to war if defeated.

Unity Party candidate Sirleaf won the 2005 presidential elections, defeating George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in a runoff. The party also won three seats in the Senate and 8 in the House of Representatives. The merger of the Liberia Unification Party and the Liberian Action Party into the Unity Party on 1 April 2009 substantially increased its representation in the Legislature.^[2]

The party lost in the runoff of the 2017 Liberian general election to ex-footballer and previous runoff candidate George Weah.^[3] On 13 January 2018, the party expelled^[4] President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from the party for campaigning for and with Weah against her own Vice President, Joseph Boakai, who was campaigning on the party ticket.^[5]^[6]

In 2023, the party won the 2023 Liberian general election, defeating the incumbent George Weah by less than 21,000 votes—making it the closest runoff in Liberia's electoral history.

Party Leadership

Former Vice President Boakai remains the Standard Bearer of the Party and the leading opposition contender for the upcoming 2023 Presidential elections. Hon. Boakai was instrumental in the formation of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that brought together the four largest opposition political parties, the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP), and the Unity Party (UP) to form an opposition bloc against Pres. Weah's Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

The Party is constitutionally led by its chairman, Amin Modad, who was elected in September 2020 with over 62% majority after defeating veteran politician Sen. Conmany Wesseh and others. Modad, a former representative to the World Trade Organization, cited his business background as evidence of his suitability for the role.

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Votes	%	Result
Election	Candidate	First round		Second round		Result
1985	Edward Kesselly	57,273	11.04%	-	-	Lost N
1997	Ellen Johnson Sirleaf	59,557	9.58%	-	-	Lost N
2005		192,326	19.75%	478,526	59.40%	Won Y
2011		530,020	43.93%	607,618	90.71%	Won Y
2017	Joseph Boakai	446,716	28.76%	457,579	38.46%	Lost N
2023	Joseph Boakai	796,961	43.44%	814,481	50.64%	Won Y

House of Representatives elections

Election	Vote	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1985	57,273	11.04%	2 / 64	New	4th
1997	59,557	9.57%	7 / 120	1	2nd
2005	123,373	12.49%	8 / 64	1	4th
2011	226,291	17.76%	24 / 73	2	1st
2017	220,508	14.32%	20 / 73	4	2nd
2023	237,931	13.09%	11 / 73	9	2nd

Senate elections

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1985	57,273	11.04%	1 / 26	New	4th
1997	59,557	9.57%	3 / 26	2	2nd
2005	222,705	12.93%	4 / 30	1	2nd
2011	164,851	12.85%	10 / 30	1	1st
2014	47,123	10.33%	8 / 30	2	1st
2020	354,898 (As part of CPP)	40.27%	6 / 30	2	1st
2023	218,138	12.04%	3 / 30	3	2nd

References

^ "UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". [Monrovia] SunTimes, 1985-07-26: 1/13.
^ UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€[sic¦Ellen Says It's[sic] A Dream Come True], The Liberian Journal, Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009
^ "NEC Liberia :: Results 2017". www.necliberia.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14.
^ "Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-15.
^ "Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Liberia's president expelled from her party". BBC News. 14 January 2018.
^ E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor (September 9, 2020). "New faces in UP". The New Dawn Liberia. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022.

External links

Weah cries foul in Liberia's presidential play-off, Sam Knight and agencies, The Sunday Times Online, November 10, 2005

[1] "UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". [Monrovia] SunTimes, 1985-07-26: 1/13.

[2] UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€[sic¦Ellen Says It's[sic] A Dream Come True], The Liberian Journal, Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009

[3] "NEC Liberia :: Results 2017". www.necliberia.org. Archived from the original on 2017-10-14.

[4] "Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 2018-01-15.

[5] "Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Liberia's president expelled from her party". BBC News. 14 January 2018.

[6] E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor (September 9, 2020). "New faces in UP". The New Dawn Liberia. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 | logo_size = 175px
 | colorcode = {{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}
-| chairperson = [[Amin Modad]]
+| chairperson = Luther Tarpeh
 | leader2_title = Senate Leader
-| leader2_name = [[Joseph Boakai]]<br />([[Former Vice President of Liberia|Former President of the Senate]])
+| leader2_name = [[Joseph Boakai]]
 | leader3_title = House Leader
+| founder = [[Edward Kesselly]]
 | founded = 1984
-| slogan = One Nation, One People, With Liberty And Justice For All
+| slogan = ''One Nation, One People, With Liberty And Justice For All''
 | ideology = [[Liberal democracy]]<br />[[Economic liberalism]]
-| position = [[Centrism|Centre]] to [[centre-right]]
+| position = [[Centrism|Centre]] to [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]]
 | international = [[International Democrat Union]]
 | affiliation1_title = Continental affiliation
@@ Line 22: / Line 23: @@
 | seats1 = {{Composition bar|13|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
 | seats2_title = [[House of Representatives of Liberia|Seats in the House]]
-| seats2 = {{Composition bar|20|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+| seats2 = {{Composition bar|11|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
 | seats3_title = [[Pan African Parliament]]
 | seats3 = {{Composition bar|2|5|hex=#026536}}
@@ Line 28: / Line 29: @@
 | country = Liberia
 }}
-The '''Unity Party''' ('''UP''') is a [[List of political parties in Liberia|political party]] in [[Liberia]] that was started in 1984 by [[Edward Kesselly|Edward B. Kesselly]], also its first standard bearer. Officially founded at [[Buchanan, Liberia|Buchanan]] in [[Grand Bassa County]], the party was established on 27 July 1985.<ref>"UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". <nowiki>[Monrovia]</nowiki> ''SunTimes'', 1985-07-26: 1/13.</ref> The Unity Party participated in the [[1985 Liberian general election|first elections]] after the [[People's Redemption Council|1980 coup]], running against President [[Samuel Doe]] in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and was, until 2017, the ruling party.
+The '''Unity Party''' ('''UP''') is a [[List of political parties in Liberia|political party]] in [[Liberia]] that was started in 1984 by [[Edward Kesselly|Edward B. Kesselly]], also its first standard bearer. Officially founded in [[Buchanan, Liberia|Buchanan]], [[Grand Bassa County]], the party was established on 27 July 1985.<ref>"UP To Do Formal Launching Tomorrow". <nowiki>[Monrovia]</nowiki> ''SunTimes'', 1985-07-26: 1/13.</ref> The Unity Party participated in the [[1985 Liberian general election|first elections]] after the [[People's Redemption Council|1980 coup]], running against President [[Samuel Doe]] in October 1985. The party has remained active in Liberian politics since and is the current ruling party following the [[2023 Liberian general election]].
-In the [[1997 Liberian general election|elections]] held on 19 July 1997, the UP presidential candidate [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] won 9.58% of the vote. The party won 7 of 64 seats in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]] and 3 of 26 in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]]. While international observers deemed the polls administratively free and transparent, they noted that it had taken place in an atmosphere of intimidation because most voters believed that former rebel leader and [[National Patriotic Party]] (NPP) candidate [[Charles Taylor (Liberian politician)|Charles Taylor]] would return to [[First Liberian Civil War|war]] if defeated.
+In the [[1997 Liberian general election|elections]] held on 19 July 1997, the UP presidential candidate [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] won 9.58% of the vote. The party won seven of 64 seats in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]] and three of 26 available in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]]. While international observers deemed the polls administratively free and transparent, they noted that it had taken place in an atmosphere of intimidation because most voters believed that former rebel leader and [[National Patriotic Party]] (NPP) candidate [[Charles Taylor (Liberian politician)|Charles Taylor]] would return to [[First Liberian Civil War|war]] if defeated.
-Unity Party candidate Sirleaf won the [[Liberia elections, 2005|2005 presidential elections]], defeating [[George Weah]] of the [[Congress for Democratic Change]] (CDC) in a [[Two-round system|run-off]]. The party also won 3 seats in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]] and 8 in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]]. The merger of the [[Liberia Unification Party]] and the [[Liberian Action Party]] into the Unity Party on 1 April 2009 substantially increased its representation in the Legislature.<ref>[http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=974&comesOfTheHome=1 UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€(sic)¦Ellen Says Itâ€™s(sic) A Dream Come True], ''The Liberian Journal'', Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009</ref>
+Unity Party candidate Sirleaf won the [[Liberia elections, 2005|2005 presidential elections]], defeating [[George Weah]] of the [[Congress for Democratic Change]] (CDC) in a [[Two-round system|runoff]]. The party also won three seats in the [[Senate of Liberia|Senate]] and 8 in the [[House of Representatives of Liberia|House of Representatives]]. The merger of the [[Liberia Unification Party]] and the [[Liberian Action Party]] into the Unity Party on 1 April 2009 substantially increased its representation in the Legislature.<ref>[http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=974&comesOfTheHome=1 UP, LAP, LUP Mergedâ€[<i>sic</i>]¦Ellen Says It's[<i>sic</i>] A Dream Come True], ''The Liberian Journal'', Jimmey C. Fahngon, April 2, 2009</ref>
-The party lost in the run-off of the 2017 presidential and representatives elections to ex-footballer, [[George Weah]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.necliberia.org/results2017 |title=NEC Liberia :: Results 2017 |website=www.necliberia.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014223139/http://www.necliberia.org/results2017/ |archive-date=2017-10-14}} </ref> On 13 January 2018 the party expelled<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title=Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party|date=2018|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-01-15|language=en-GB}}</ref> President [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] from the party for campaigning for and with Weah against her own Vice President, [[Joseph Boakai]], who was campaigning on the party ticket.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title = Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Liberia's president expelled from her party|work = BBC News|date = 14 January 2018}}</ref>
+The party lost in the runoff of the [[2017 Liberian general election]] to ex-footballer and previous runoff candidate [[George Weah]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.necliberia.org/results2017 |title=NEC Liberia :: Results 2017 |website=www.necliberia.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014223139/http://www.necliberia.org/results2017/ |archive-date=2017-10-14}}</ref> On 13 January 2018, the party expelled<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title=Liberia's Sirleaf expelled from her party|date=2018|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-01-15|language=en-GB}}</ref> President [[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]] from the party for campaigning for and with Weah against her own Vice President, [[Joseph Boakai]], who was campaigning on the party ticket.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42681795|title = Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Liberia's president expelled from her party|work = BBC News|date = 14 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thenewdawnliberia.com/new-faces-in-up/|title=New faces in UP|date=September 9, 2020|author=E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor|publisher=The New Dawn Liberia|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428055619/https://thenewdawnliberia.com/new-faces-in-up/|archive-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>
+In 2023, the party won the [[2023 Liberian general election]], defeating the incumbent George Weah by less than 21,000 votes—making it the closest runoff in [[Elections in Liberia|Liberia's electoral history]].
-== Party Leadership ==
+== Party Leadership ==
-Former Vice President Boakai remains the Standard Bearer of the Party and the leading opposition contender for the upcoming 2023 Presidential elections. Hon. Boakai was instrumental in the formation of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that brought together the four largest opposition political parties, the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP), and the Unity Party (UP) to form a opposition bloc against Pres. Weah's Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
+Former Vice President Boakai remains the Standard Bearer of the Party and the leading opposition contender for the upcoming 2023 Presidential elections. Hon. Boakai was instrumental in the formation of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that brought together the four largest opposition political parties, the All Liberian Party (ALP), the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP), and the Unity Party (UP) to form an opposition bloc against Pres. Weah's Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
-The Party is constitutionally led by its chairman, Amin Modad, elected in September 2020 with over 62% majority after defeating veteran politician Sen. Conmany Wesseh and others. Elected along with other core executives, Amin Modad brings in the credibility and a pro-business experience that is much needed to revive the Party and positively influence the national political discourse. He has always been a trailblazer; with over 20 years of public and private sectors experience, Amin Modad is one of Liberia’s few trade development experts and postwar entrepreneurial success stories.
+The Party is constitutionally led by its chairman, Amin Modad, who was elected in September 2020 with over 62% majority after defeating veteran politician Sen. Conmany Wesseh and others. Modad, a former representative to the [[World Trade Organization]], cited his business background as evidence of his suitability for the role.
-He has served as Liberia’s first representative to the World Trade Organization, headed the multi-donor funded Enhanced Integrated Framework Program in Liberia, and served as Sr. Policy Advisor to the government of Liberia on trade and investment. He has played a key role in Liberia’s post-conflict recovery especially with regards establishing key economic policies and Liberia’s integration into the multilateral trading system.
 == Electoral history ==
@@ Line 59: / Line 60: @@
 ! colspan="2" |Second round
 |-
-|[[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
+! [[1985 Liberian general election|1985]]
+| [[Edward Kesselly]]
+| 57,273
+| 11.04%
+| -
+| -
+| '''Lost''' {{Nay}}
+|-
+![[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
 | rowspan="3" |[[Ellen Johnson Sirleaf]]
 |59,557
@@ Line 67: / Line 76: @@
 |'''Lost''' {{Nay}}
 |-
-|[[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
+![[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
 |192,326
-|19.8%
+|19.75%
 |478,526
-|59.4%
+|59.40%
-|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
+|'''Won''' {{Y}}
 |-
-|[[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
+![[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
 |530,020
-|43.9%
+|43.93%
 |607,618
-|90.7%
+|90.71%
-|'''Elected''' {{Y}}
+|'''Won''' {{Y}}
 |-
-|[[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
+![[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
-|[[Joseph Boakai]]
+|rowspan=2 |[[Joseph Boakai]]
 |446,716
-|28.8%
+|28.76%
 |457,579
-|38.5%
+|38.46%
 |'''Lost''' {{Nay}}
+|-
+![[2023 Liberian general election|2023]]
+|796,961
+|43.44%
+|814,481
+|50.64%
+|'''Won''' {{Y}}
 |}
@@ Line 99: / Line 115: @@
 !'''Position'''
 |-
-|[[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
+![[1985 Liberian general election|1985]]
+|57,273
+|11.04%
+| align="left" |{{Composition bar|2|64|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+|New
+|{{increase}} 4th
+|-
+![[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
 |59,557
 |9.57%
 | align="left" |{{Composition bar|7|120|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
-|{{increase}} 7
+|{{increase}} 1
 |{{increase}} 2nd
 |-
-|[[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
+![[2005 Liberian general election|2005]]
 |123,373
 |12.49%
@@ Line 113: / Line 136: @@
 |{{decrease}} 4th
 |-
-|[[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
+![[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
 |226,291
 |17.76%
@@ Line 120: / Line 143: @@
 |{{increase}} 1st
 |-
-|[[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
+![[2017 Liberian general election|2017]]
 |220,508
 |14.32%
-|{{Composition bar|19|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+|{{Composition bar|20|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
 |{{decrease}} 4
 |{{decrease}} 2nd
+|-
+![[2023 Liberian general election|2023]]
+|237,931
+|13.09%
+|{{Composition bar|11|73|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+|{{decrease}} 9
+|{{steady}} 2nd
 |}
@@ Line 137: / Line 167: @@
 !'''Position'''
 |-
-|[[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
+![[1985 Liberian general election|1985]]
+|57,273
+|11.04%
+| align="left" |{{Composition bar|1|26|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+|New
+|{{increase}} 4th
+|-
+![[1997 Liberian general election|1997]]
 |59,557
 |9.57%
 |{{Composition bar|3|26|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
-|{{increase}} 3
+|{{increase}} 2
 |{{increase}} 2nd
 |-
-|[[Liberian general election, 2005|2005]]
+![[Liberian general election, 2005|2005]]
 |222,705
 |12.93%
@@ Line 151: / Line 188: @@
 |{{steady}} 2nd
 |-
-|[[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
+![[2011 Liberian general election|2011]]
 |164,851
 |12.85%
@@ Line 158: / Line 195: @@
 |{{increase}} 1st
 |-
-|[[2014 Liberian Senate election|2014]]
+![[2014 Liberian Senate election|2014]]
 |47,123
 |10.33%
@@ Line 165: / Line 202: @@
 |{{steady}} 1st
 |-
-|[[2020 Liberian Senate election|2020]]{{efn|Results of the alliance [[Collaborating Political Parties]].}}
+![[2020 Liberian Senate election|2020]]
+|354,898<br/>{{small|(As part of [[Collaborating Political Parties|CPP]])}}
-|354,898
 |40.27%
-|{{Composition bar|13|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+|{{Composition bar|6|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
-|{{increase}} 5
+|{{decrease}} 2
 |{{steady}} 1st
+|-
+![[2023 Liberian general election|2023]]
+|218,138
+|12.04%
+|{{Composition bar|3|30|{{party color|Unity Party (Liberia)}}}}
+|{{decrease}} 3
+|{{decrease}} 2nd
 |}
 {{Notelist}}
@@ Line 176: / Line 220: @@
 == References ==
 {{reflist}}
-https://thenewdawnliberia.com/new-faces-in-up/
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1866394,00.html Weah cries foul in Liberia's presidential play-off], Sam Knight and agencies, ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' Online, November 10, 2005
+*[https://archive.today/20070310205730/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1866394,00.html Weah cries foul in Liberia's presidential play-off], Sam Knight and agencies, ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' Online, November 10, 2005
 {{Liberian political parties}}

v t e Political parties in Liberia
Parties with legislative representation	Coalition for Democratic Change CDC NPP LPDP ULD UPP MOVEE Unity Party Alternative National Congress Liberty Party Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction People's Unification Party All Liberian Party Liberia National Union Movement for Progressive Change National Democratic Coalition Vision for Liberia Transformation Liberia Restoration Party
Parties with no legislative representation	All Liberia Coalition Party Grassroots Development Movement Liberia Transformation Party Liberian People's Party Rainbow Alliance TWP VCP
Defunct or renamed parties	Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia Collaborating Political Parties Free Democratic Party Freedom Alliance Party of Liberia Labor Party of Liberia Liberia Education and Development Party Liberia Equal Rights Party Liberia Unification Party Liberian Action Party Liberia Destiny Party Movement for Justice in Africa National Democratic Party of Liberia National Party of Liberia National Reformation Party National Union for Democratic Progress National Vision Party of Liberia New Deal Movement Progressive Alliance of Liberia Progressive Democratic Party Republican Party Reformed United Liberia Party
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