No standard bearer for UP yet

Nearly month after Vice President Joseph Boakai accepted a petition from the citizens of Lofa County to contest for the Presidency in 2017, the governing Unity Party branch in Margibi County says the party has not reached any decision relative to who becomes its standard bearer in 2017.

Speaking to The NewDawnMargibi correspondent in Kakata on July 8, 2015, UPMargibi County Chairman, Jeremiah Quaye, said though citizens of Lofa have their rights to petition the Vice President, the Unity Party is a political institution governed its constitution.

He said the party usually goes for convention, adding that it is during convention that UP partisans decide who standard bearer becomes or occupy other positions in the party. Vice President Joseph Boakai is vice standard bearer of the governing Unity Party Chairman Quaye said as a strong decision maker in the party, he cannot make any definitive statement regarding VP Boakai presidential bid until the party goes for convention.

He maintained that even though Ambassador Boakai is qualified for the presidency, the convention will decide formally who becomes the next flag bearer of the party.  He said though as county chairman, the UP is not saying that Margibi County is not supportive Vice President Boakai, who he described as being qualified for the Presidency, a convention will formally decide.

When asked recently about her opinion on VP Boakai’s Presidential ambition, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said this was something she would personally discuss with her vice standard bearer.  Chairman Quaye added that though he does not know the mind of President Sirleaf because she has not made any comment about Ambassador Boakai’s decision, but that the first partisan is aware that it is only at convention that the standard bearer position of the party can be decided.

The Unity Party Margibi County Chairman noted that some partisans in the county are now saying that VP Boakai is qualified to become the standard bearer, while others think the party needs to still check for a standard bearer instead of Ambassador Boakai, who has served twice as vice standard bearer for the Unity Party. –By Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr. in Margibi County