By Ramsey N. Singbe, Jr., Margibi
Days after the opposition Unity Party (UP) threatened to take the Government of Liberia to court for allegedly leaking a Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) footage of its Presidential Candidate Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s departure from the country, President George Weah has accused the former Vice President of impersonating the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.
In a press conference Tuesday, 29 August 2023, UP’s campaign spokesperson Mohammed Ali, said the party specifically targets state-owned Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) and National Security Agency (NSA) Deputy Director, Sam Siryon in its planned lawsuit.
The UP also refuted claim that its standard bearer was quickly flown out of the country for medical reasons but said Amb. Boakai is in the subregion, conferring with regional stakeholders.
However, speaking at the Nancy B. Doe Stadium in Kakata, Margibi County during a campaign rally, President Weah said the former Vice President is impersonating ECOWAS.
Mr. Weah noted that the UP used the head of Amb. Joseph Boakai on a photo of Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, just to prove that he (Boakai) went to an ECOWAS meeting.
The President said the UP Standard Bearer is sick and should admit the fact, instead of pretending to be going for an ECOWAS meeting.
According to him, Boakai wants to be President of Liberia, but he is impersonating another President.
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He said the worst part of the impersonation is that a sleeping photo of Boakai was used to show him being present amongst other presidents at ECOWAS, which Mr. Weah described as wrong.
The President noted that it is a shame on the part of the Unity Party to even use a picture of a meeting that he (President Weah) attended and omit him from the picture.
He explained that the picture in question is a photograph of a meeting in which he and other West African Presidents announced the President of Nigeria Tinubu as head of ECOWAS, which he as President of Liberia, attended.
President Weah: “How can you be impersonating? You want to be President of Liberia and you’re impersonating?”
Mr. Weah said Boakai and the UP didn’t need to lie that he (Boakai) went for a meeting when in actual sense, he did not go.
According to the President, it is a disgrace to Liberia that someone who wants to lead the nation is sick but lied to go to hospital, noting that there is nothing wrong with even a president, including himself (Weah) being sick and admitting it.
“Let me extend my sympathy to Hon. Boakai. I hope that he gets well. You know he is somebody that I respect and that’s why every time he’s sick, I send him to hospital”, President Weah revealed. Editing by Jonathan Browne
