By: Frank P. Martin
MONROVIA: Thousands of supporters and sympathizers of Unity Party (UP’s) Standard-bearer, Joseph Nyuma Boakai, defied the downpour of rain on Sunday, September 17, 2023, to participate in the Campaign Launch of the former governing party, held in Monrovia, Liberia’s Capital.
UP is fielding former Vice President Joseph N. Boakai for the Second time in the country’s presidential and legislative elections.
The UP-Campaign Launch was carried out throughout the country at the same time, with emerging reports indicating that hundreds of thousands of voters graced the occasion.
Amid the heavy rainfall in Monrovia on Sunday, supporters of UP trooped to the Antoinette Tubman Stadium on UN Drive to reaffirm their unreserved support for the victory of Boakai’s ‘RESCUE MISSION” in the crucial October polls.
In the face of the increasing support for Boakai, Nimba County’s charismatic and influential Senator, Prince Y. Johnson (alias “PYJ,” on Monday, September 18, 2023, at a news conference, expressed optimism that incumbent President George Weah will be massively defeated by Mr. Boakai in the October polls.
According to Senator Johnson, right now, President Weah has few days to spend in the Nation’s top seat as he awaits the political demise of his administration’s lifespan at the polls.
PYJ: “The message from the people yesterday (September 17) is clear. This shows that the Weah-led administration has failed the Liberian people and a new dawn is fast approaching in 2024, when Boakai is Elected on October 10 this year.”
Giving reasons why he thinks incumbent President Weah will not be reelected on October 10, 2023, PYJ, who is widely referred to as the ‘Political Godfather’ of votes-rich Nimba County and a noted Kingmaker told the news conference in Monrovia: Weah’s failure to regulate illicit drugs and several mysterious deaths across the country without proper investigations.
“We thought Weah came from the slum community but his behaviors and attitudes don’t show that he came from way down the line. He has forgotten about the very people who elected him to power years back,” Senator Johnson asserted.
“He and his associates are responsible for the uncontrollable spread of drugs across the country that are damaging the future of our youthful population”, Senator Johnson alleged.
PYJ: “You find it difficult to even pass on Broad Street without being harmed by those guys who are taking in the harmful substances. Nothing tangible he’s doing about this to curtail these bad habits in the country.”
“Besides the issues of drugs, Weah and his officials of government are very corrupt, and as a result, Liberians are suffering, living in poverty while he and his BIG BOYS enjoy the country’s wealth,” the Nimba County Senator further told the news conference.
But President Weah has consistently debunked allegations of his involvement in drugs saying these statements as mere propaganda aimed at winning undue political capital.
“You can’t treat your own people like slaves as a leader and expect them to pay you with good. Nowhere around the world, will a corrupt President like Weah be reelected for a second term.”
He maintains that former Vice President Boakai, when elected to the Nation’s Presidency will bring much-needed relief to the Liberian people and promote good governance.
The Senator added that Boakai’s Presidency would, among others, strengthen Liberia’s image among the comity of nations.
“With Boakai’s leadership, Liberia will rise again and the nation will flourish,” Senator Johnson stressed.
He thanked Liberians for the mammoth turnout for the UP-Campaign Launch and underscored the need for their commitment to the struggle they have started aimed at ensuring that former Vice President Boakai ascends to the Liberian Presidency in January 2024.
“Thanks to all for coming out yesterday (September 17) in your numbers. What I saw from you yesterday tells me that we are resolved to retire Weah and his officials at the ballots box. The rally was held all over the country. It didn’t happen only in Monrovia but across the country. I am overwhelmed with joy,” PYJ asserted.
The former Vice President is the main political rival to incumbent President George Manneh Weah.
Both Weah and Boakai, in 2017, went to a presidential runoff before Weah was declared winner of the polls.
However, the launch of the Unity Party campaign comes in close comparison to that of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), which took the lead to launch theirs on September 7, pulling crowds that left many political observers astonished.
The UP has claimed it is on a path to unseat President Weah democratically.
In the past five years, the opposition has challenged the governing CDC on narratives that the Country is hard and that the CDC is not governing well.
Several months ago, the opposition CPP of candidate Alexander Cumming, which splintered with the Unity party, launched a ‘We tire suffering rally.’
The opposition generally has pushed the argument and narrative that Liberians will make President Weah a one-term president.
