Liberia’s Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor keeps assuring and re-assuring President George Manneh Weah of her loyalty firstly, to him, and to the Coalition government. This is strange and seems to indicate the Vice President and President Weah are not working in concert.
For the second time in less than a year, VP Jewel Taylor had gone public, re-assuring President Weah that she is fully cognizant of her role as Vice President of the Republic of Liberia in which she serves as a critical support to the President.
A statement from the Office of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor issued by her Chief of Office Staff George T. Nimely, as published here in a local daily, notes that in strict consonance with clearly stated constitutional roles and responsibilities of the Vice President, Madam Taylor is fully mindful of her sphere of duties, and accordingly, she wishes to reiterate her awareness that the prime focus of her strategy and intention has always been to lend full support to the agenda and purposes of President Weah, not to pursue a separate end of her own.
The latest assurance comes amid serious internal fight in Mrs. Taylor’s National Patriotic Party (NPP) which is a member of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change. It is from the NPP while serving as Standard Bearer that then Candidate George Manneh Weah picked her as his running mate in the 2017 elections that saw that ticket ascending to power.
According to the statement coming from Chief of Office Staff Nimely, Vice President Taylor acknowledges creeping political uneasiness within the NPP, but notes that such scenario is not uncommon in political institutions. However, if that will in any way affect her effective relationship with President Weah, and the Coalition, then we suggest that she should find remedy.
In previous appearance, Vice President Taylor went on public radio here and apologized to President Weah for her many travels out of the country without informing him as leader of the nation.
We like to sound here that there is a vast difference between words and actions. We also wonder why these assurance and re-assurance from Madam Taylor to President Weah. Where does this seem mistrust come from?
Rather than re-assuring constantly, we call on VP Taylor to conduct her office in a trust manner, she would have no reason to keep re-assuring President Weah about her loyalty. Loyalty is demonstrated thru actions, not words.
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We believe if VP Taylor is in close consultation with the President on almost everything, there should no reason for her to keep re-assuring him. But this seems not to be the case as the unfolding development indicates.
It is important that the President and the Vice President move on the same path and promote the same agenda for the sake of smooth governance or leadership. What is coming to the public seems to present the contrary, which is not politically healthy.
