Just days after 2011 Nobel Laureate Ms. Leymah Gbowee wrote here, suggesting that former Vice President Joseph Boakai retire from politics to focus on his health and grandkids, partisans of the Unity Party paraded with the former vice president to demonstrate his fitness on Wednesday.
“The writings are on the wall; my Uncle Joe is in no position to contest! Uncle Joe, please be well—I pray god’s blessings upon you.” Ms. Gbowee wrote days after Amb. Boakai was discharged from the Christian run ELWA Hospital following a brief stay.
On Wednesday, UP partisans flooded social media with images of the former vice president sitting and taking a brief stroll with folder in his hands to demonstrate his fitness and readiness for work.
Pictures showed the former vice president also using his hand that appeared to have been unmovable when he was being discharged from the ELWA hospital last week.
Amb. Boakai was recently rushed to the ELWA hospital where he spent few days seeking medical attention. His party said he reportedly checked in at the hospital on Sunday, January 8, 2023, for precautionary observation after he felt minor fever. But critics say, the octogenarian former vice president may have suffered a minor stroke.
Notwithstanding, Ms. Gbowee said Boakai’s retirement from active politics would be in the interest of peace, development, and future of Liberia, though she did not explain what she meant.
In her open letter to the former ruling Unity Party, which has received several backlashes from the party, Ms. Gbowee said the former Vice President deserves to spend his golden years interacting with his grandkids, enjoying family time.
The peace advocate further called on the former ruling Unity Party to reconsider partnering with other political parties to form a merger that will provide a viable political option for the Liberian people.
She concluded by saying “Dear Unity Party, Liberia’s political future, and interest lie and rest squarely in your hands! It is high time we put egos aside and put Liberia and her interest first! Do the right thing!!!!”
However, responding to Ms. Gbowee, Unity Party former Secretary General Mo Ali raised several questions saying “when last Laymah visited Amb. Joseph N. Boakai to know his health status?”
In their display of photos on Wednesday Amb. Boakai could be seen entering and out of his compound with a folder in his hand while an elderly lady and aides followed.
Other scenes showed him sitting with an elderly lady and at one point sitting and strolling thru his phone. In another scene, he is seen interacting with separate individuals.
DEFENDER DOGS OF JOSEPH N. BOAKAI AND THE NEW LIBERIA!
There are no profound arguments that readily gravitate to the ailing former vice president health defense except that his handlers deem him an honorable man who should not be disrespected!
Such proposition is exclusionary that makes the candiate unaccountable to public scrutiny !
Boakai is no sacred cow and the historicity of his track records are unambiguous- he oversaw the greatest ever concessionaire contract frauds in the history of our country;. those pushing for his “sainrhood” either want to exploit his ailing health to benefit ascendency to state power in the unfortunate circumstance of his demise or simply they want to become new influence for thievery and government corruptions!
Politics is not about age or respect, politics is about fairness for all! These elections will be very nasty, the best option of a Boakai drop would save our democracy!!
How can an 80 year cancerous incapacitated oldman with a medical pacemaker implant lead such a turbulent generation of war and neglects?
This is the danger of entitlement of a failed past Unity Party!
The concerns about Joe Boakai’s age is not just about this campaign period. It’s not just about another 1 or 2 years. It’s about whether he can withstand the tension of the Presidency for 6 years. Yes 6 years! We are closing in on 6 years incomprehensible ineptitude and leadership callousness. Our current president is unable to execute the functions of his office and the likes of Nathaniel McGill takes advantage, even though we never elected McGill. Now, after 6 years of the “looting and singing” sickness of George Weah, Liberians are very very concerned not to elect another president who will be controlled by unelected people with nefarious intent. As long as JNB puts himself out to be Our Leader, he has tied up his future with our future, and as such, we have a right to know his health status. Why not JNB just address the Liberian people directly on his health status? Dancing around and posting pictures will not make this particular question to go away, because that is a normal concern about people in that age group (80+). Don’t they deserve to know if he’s capable to run the affairs of state for the full 6-years period? Remember, JNB’s health concern is not just for election campaign period, and it’s not just for another 1 or 2 years. We are concerned to know if he can operate with high energy for another 6 years. JNB and his UP people can post dancing pictures all they want, but JNB will face this questions over his health EVERY SINGLE DAY of his campaign.