Winston Tubman
Liberian diplomat and politician
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Winston A. Tubman (born 1941) is a Liberian diplomat and politician of Americo-Liberian and Grebo descent. He is a former justice minister and diplomat, and was the presidential candidate of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in the 2011 Liberian general election.[1]
Winston A. Tubman | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Justice of Liberia | |
| In office 1982–1983 | |
| President | Samuel Doe |
| Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations | |
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | |
| In office 1979–1981 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1941 (age 84–85) |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics; University of Cambridge; Harvard University |
Biography
Born in the Maryland County town of Pleebo, Tubman is the nephew of William V. S. Tubman, Liberia's longest serving president.[2][3] He has degrees from the London School of Economics, University of Cambridge and Harvard University.[3]
A member of the bar, he founded his own law firm in 1968 and served as legal adviser to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs during his uncle's administration. Tubman has extensive United Nations experience, beginning with his first post in the UN Legal Office in 1973. He later served as the Permanent Representative of Liberia to the United Nations from 1979 to 1981,[4][5][6] presenting his credentials in 1979.[7]
He subsequently served under Samuel Doe as Justice Minister from 1982 to 1983,[2] and in 1990 traveled to the United States on behalf of Doe to lobby the American government to intervene in the First Liberian Civil War.[8]
He later served as the Secretary-General's representative and head of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia from 2002 to 2005.
Tubman was the National Democratic Party of Liberia's (NDPL) presidential candidate in the 11 October 2005 election.[2] He was defeated in the first round, placing fourth with 9.2% of the vote.[9]
On May 1, 2011, the CDC chose Tubman as its presidential candidate for the 2011 election, with George Weah, the second-place candidate in the 2005 election, as his running mate.[10] Following the first round of voting, Tubman alleged electoral irregularities and threatened to boycott the runoff election.[11][12] He ultimately withdrew from active participation in the second round, which was widely boycotted by the opposition, allowing incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to secure re-election.[12]
In March 2012, Tubman announced his retirement from politics following internal disputes within the Congress for Democratic Change. His decision came shortly after the party announced his expulsion as standard bearer, citing alleged factional activity.[13]