LOOKIN’ INSIDE FROM OUTSIDE – The Leadership Crisis In Unity Party

It is no secret any more that the ruling Unity Party is presently engulfed with a serious Leadership crisis that may result to a split, if not handled with the highest degree of care and sincerity. For pragmatic politicians, conventions are always where discussions and resolutions regarding issues inimical to the growth and development of political parties take place.

”Tha God Beatin’ Them So”

That’s exactly what political observers thought would have been done at the April convention of the new Unity Party, but unfortunately organizers, not been politically cautious of the negative consequences of poor planning, allowed things to go the way they went in Ganta, Nimba County.

Looking inside the UP convention and the current political situation in the party from outside, it is very easy to conclude that it was the manipulations and undermining which characterized the entire convention that is now “hunting” this new political wedlock.

Truly, in words of Representative Matiam Jalibah of Lofa County, “tha God beating them so.”

Looking inside the UP convention in Ganta from outside, it was very clear that the interest of the First Partisan and Standard Bearer, Her Excellency, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf prevailed. First Partisan Sirleaf was said to have made sure that except for Henry Fahnbulleh who was favored by the majority of the delegates, those she wanted within the new leadership of the party were the ones chosen.

Because of Fahnbulleh’s uncompromising insistence as evidenced by last Friday’s news conference hosted by Cllr. Varney Sherman, the new UP Chairman-elect, The  confidant of the first partisan, Medina Wesseh join the raise to make the number of candidates for the position of Secretary General three ( Assistant Commerce Minister for Trade, Wilmot Paye).

Everything, was done to ensure that  Medina Wesseh became the party’s Secretary General to no avail, as Henry Fahnbulleh had the support of the delegates with a vote difference of 40 to be Unity Party’s new Chief Scribe. Of course that did not go down well with some higher ups and of course the first partasan, and so back in Monrovia, the “ball game” began as evidenced by the present crisis. Unfortunately, it was actually the wrong time to go to “war” with Fahnbulleh despite being “unarmed” and financially incapacitated (considering the grass root support he commands in that party).

Political Free Thinkers and Observers would have suggested such a game in Ganta during the convention-i.e, whatever it would have taken to politically eliminate Fahnbullleh from that race in favor of Medina Wesseh- whether by hook or crook, should have been  done right there, and that no matter how loud Henry Fahnbulleh would have cried, his tears would have gotten dry in Ganta.

The Chairman of the Convention, as well as those responsible for the process would have stopped Fhanbulleh, just as they did to the suspended Police Training Commandant and Unity party influential “die-hard” James Hallowangah, who was made not to have any breathing space for the Chairmanship of the Unity Party he opted for, that may have landed him where he is. That was that in Ganta, and it was just finished.

But to come to Monrovia to embark on an unfavorable campaign further exposes the new Unity Party to political unhealthiness, as it is now. It was even  very unfortunate for the new Chairman-elect, Cllr. Varney Sherman  to propagate such a geo-political argument ( the Cape Mount and Vai factors ) as the basis for last Friday’s indefinite postponement of  the induction of the UP new leadership. Again, that’s the way the “beat” goes. That’s how incumbent African leaderships go about solidifying political powers, especially when they still intend to be in power.

However, we only hope and pray that the leadership crisis can be resolved and that a lesson be learnt from the errors and blunders made in Ganta last April.