By: Varney Dukuly
MONROVIA: The warning signs are popping up even before the cast of ballots in the presidential and legislative elections slated for 10, October, 2023, with a divided opposition stepping onto the stage against incumbent President George Weah.
Opposition solidarity to remove Weah’s grip on state power is down. There is a growing tension among key opposition political players besides the emergence of splinted groups in the opposition community.
Supporters of the former ruling Unity Party (UP), of which Joseph Nyumah Boakai is political leader, Alternative National Congress (ANC) of business tycoon, Alexander Benedict Cummings, All Liberia Party (ALP) of business mogul, Benoni Wilfred Urey, and others are, by all accounts, fighting to make the space look smaller apparently at their own disadvantage.
When the opposition parties and leaders joined forces in 2020 Mid-Term Elections, they gave what two keen political observers described as a warning sign to the current Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led government that all was not well within the governing Coalition.
“It was a smart reminder that the Weah’s government was failing and needed to reorganize its priorities,” said a member of the CDC who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from party leaders.
However, “the raging wars of words and glaring disunity and acrimonies among opposition political parties and groups as reflected on social media and in other public domains have given the incumbent President an advantage to whip them in October,” opined Thompson Momolu Bangura, a civil society activist.
Last Saturday, July 29, 2023, offered a snapshot into a conundrum for the opposition campaign. While Joseph Boakai runs on a platform to “Rescue Liberia,” his support in the opposition community is showing signs of teetering.
Boakai’s uphill battle with his former political allies in the All Liberian Party of Benoni Wilfred Urey is a troubling sign at a moment when preparations for his campaign, which is just days away to begin is struggling to regain momentum, according to UP insiders.
Ahead of the start of the campaign, there are mounting calls for reconciliation involving JNB, BWU and Henry Petro Costa, among others.
If elections were to be held today, multiple radio opinion polls would show that Boakai and incumbent Weah would resoundingly meet in a presidential runoff.
A weekend observation by our reporter found that the Ureys and their ALP supporters seem to favor Weah over Boakai. The UP Standard bearer initially had the full support of these people compared to President Weah.
But recent differences showed a big division and the former Vice President is trailing behind in terms of support from the Ureys and the All Liberian Party.
Popular and influential Talk-show host and political commentator, Henry Petro Costa, who is most recent buddy to the Unity Party (UP), over the weekend, took to social media with jabs against Ex-VP Boakai.
Costa inked these words on his official Facebook page: “Wicked ticket -2017,” “Arrogant ticket -2023.”
As if this was not enough, Costa added: “You claim to have integrity but you sold your running mate slot for 200k to a corrupt Senator!”
Costa: “When we were feeding you and flying you to hospital, we were good people, then, now that we don’t support you anymore, we are bad. Listen to yourself. Ungrateful Sanamasswines.”
Like Costa, Telia Urey, daughter of Benoni Urey, also inked on her official Facebook page these words:
“This FALSE narrative that ‘if someone doesn’t support UP, they are going against the country’ is toxic, divisive, and outright ridiculous. I advise my friends to develop a more strategic campaign plan and message if they are serious about winning this election.”
But, a pro-Boakai supporter in activist Martin K.N. Kollie, swiftly came defense of the Unity Party and its standard bearer, also via his Facebook page.
Said MKNK: “Mr. Blackmailer, your theatrics won’t work this time around. The variables of 2017 are quite different from 2023’s. In fact, who’s more arrogant than you? Henry Costa, alias Con-Star and Arrogance are doppelgangers (twins). If you like, also add “Sleeping Ticket”, all we know “Da JNB we want.”
“Con-Star is even more ungrateful. He has survived on our people’s backs and out of their sweat for more than a decade. US$30,000 was raised as legal aid against Bill Twehway’s lawsuit. Where is it? No accountability. Over US$50,000 was also raised to replace Roots FM equipment. Where is it? Again, no accountability. You must be a corrupt idiot,” MKNK added.
Interestingly, other political analysts say, the raging saga involving the former allies is a litmus test for how well the former vice president can appeal to larger audience beyond hate and bitterness.
Though his overall rating remains strong, JNB is still finding his footing as a formidable candidate to win the coveted Liberian presidency.
