Famous Liberian musical star Madam Miatta Fahnbulleh has dismissed a perception held by some Liberians that 77 – year – old former Liberian Vice President Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai is too old to lead the country, arguing that Mr. Boakai “walks better” than the President of the United States, Mr. Joe Biden, aged 79.
“The President of America right now is the man called Joe Biden. Joseph Boakai walks better than Joe Biden. I’m a supporter of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. But let’s be honest, he’s 78 years old, why y’all making noise on Joseph Boakai for?” said Madam Fahnbulleh on OK FM Monday, 4 April 2022.
The 74 – year – old famous Liberian musician said she trusts Mr. Boakai and she’s prepared to place her bet on him because “he knows the mistakes that we have made … and he will listen.”
Mr. Boakai served as Liberia’s vice president during former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf’s Unity Party (UP) – led administration that lasted for 12 consecutive years.
Mr. Boakai sought to succeed Mrs. Sirleaf when he ran for the presidency on the Unity Party ticket in 2017, but President George Manneh Weah and his Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) which was then the main opposition party, won the election at the run-off against the UP.
Mr. Boakai and the UP recently broke away from the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and he now heads a new opposition alliance to contest next year’s presidential and legislative elections.
His supporter, Madam Fahnbulleh said she feels more confident with Mr. Boakai at this stage as a Liberian.
“I feel confident that I would be able to walk into Joseph Boakai’s office with an appointment and say, my brother, this is not working. You can’t be doing this, we said this. I feel that confidence. I didn’t even feel that confidence in Mrs. Sirleaf,” said Madam Fahnbulleh.
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She added that she will campaign for Mr. Boakai’s presidential bid in the 2023 elections.
Asked about her assessment of President Weah’s government, Madam Fahnbulleh vehemently stated that she never thought or ever believed that “this government could do anything positive for me and my children.”
“I never believed it. If I did I would have voted for CDC. If I did I would have voted for CDC. But in my head, they’re not able. What’s wrong with saying you [ain’t] able? Every single day there are errors,” she maintained.
She argued that building roads, supplying water and light are not anything that she’s supposed to congratulate anyone for because it is the responsibility of the government to supply them.
She claimed that the government’s errors are not intentional because the government does not know.
Regarding former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf’s recent reported criticism against the CDC – led government surrounding the handling of the international airport, Madam Fahnbulleh reminded the former President that she was taking a jibe at a government she started, carved, and planned to come into office.
“A former President at a state funeral where you have visitors and the visiting Nigerian President, and you take a jibe at a government that you, you Ellen Sirleaf start, carved, planned to come into office. I don’t have to say anything more,” she said
There have been mixed reactions hereafter Mrs. Sirleaf was reported to have said that a lot of people [from abroad] would have attended Liberia’s former Interim President Dr. Amos C. Sawyer’s funeral, but the country’s international airport was dark.
