Boakai’s nightmare

Reports coming from the national headquarters of the ruling Unity Party seem unfavorable, especially for its standard bearer Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai ahead of the 2017 Presidential and Representatives elections.

This paper gathers that since the UP’s July 7 national convention held in Gbarnga, Bong County, the elected leadership has failed to constitute a national executive committee, which is the highest decision making body of a political party.

Reasons being allegedly provided for the delay in the constitution of the executive committee is that the party is broke or insolvent to conduct counties’ convention as requires by its constitution.

The convention would have brought on board local officials that should have formed part of the executive committee, but since July, the Wilmot Paye-led administration has failed to execute anything at the helm of power for the party.

Information also revealed that prime financiers of the ruling party are specious of the current elected officials, including Vice President Boakai on grounds that they may not be defended or protected, if Boakai became President of Liberia.

Inside sources pointed out that the Unity Party flag bearer reportedly lacks lobbying spirit to raise sufficient funds for the upcoming elections, thereby leading to slow pace of administrative activities by the central leadership situated in Congo Town. Another factor that is allegedly hampering the smooth function of the Paye’s administration is the huge suspicion grown from the presence of the Minister Information Lenn Eugene Nagbe in the leadership as National Secretary General.

Many supporters of the Unity Party seem not to trust the loyalty of the party’s chief scribe on grounds that he is not from the inner circle, having been a stalwart of the main opposition party Congress for Democratic Change or CDC.

Eugene defected from the CDC to the UP during the 2011 elections, citing policy difference with CDC head George Weah and other party hierarchies.  Unimpeachable sources in the corridors of the UP added that former standard bearer, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is not actively funding the party as before, especially in the two successive elections, while some astute supporters are financially holding back on payment of dues.

Based on the alleged lack of funding, the new administration is said to have held only two executive meetings since taking office. When National Chairman Paye was contacted via mobile for comment, he said anyone with such perception about the once viable ruling party is “stupid and foolish.”

Paye, who sounded very arrogant, insisted that he be quoted verbatim, saying “Anyone who has such belief that person is stupid and foolish. We had national convention where we spent US$270,000 and the convention was flowering and that’s all I can say to you and if you continue I will cut my phone off,” hanging off the line.

It may be recalled that during the Gbarnga convention, Wilmot Paye won on white ballot, while Labour Minister Neto Zarzar Lighe was elected as senior vice chairman, and Isaac Mannah retained his post as vice chairman for governmental affairs.

Others elected include J. Cole Bangalu, vice chairman for interparty and National Elections Commission relations, Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe, national secretary general; Edmund Forh, national treasurer and Curtis Dorley, national youth wing chairman, among others.

By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor -Editing by Jonathan Browne