Dear Mr. Editor,
I was stunned and flabbergasted by comments attributed to Senator Henry Yallah and Speaker J. Emmanuel Nuquay in your July 18, 2017 edition under the caption: “Political Game Plan- People Unification Party Weighing 2024 Presidency with Nuquay”.
As I was reading through this article, I began to think and wonder whether these two legislators are genuine politicians or political zealots.
It beats my imagination for a sitting Senator who should be a national leader and or a policy maker to brag about making a tribal President.
According to Senator Yallah, “The PUP was founded in March 2013 by Nuquay and 12 other lawmakers from Bong and Margibi Counties with an aim of producing a Kpelle President”.
Senator Yallah further said, “Nuquay’s nomination as vice running mate to Boakai as the closest step the Kpelle people have towards the Liberian Presidency”.
He continues, “Gone are the days when the kpelle speaking people fought to produce presidents at the advantage of those from smaller tribes.
I will not mince my words on this.
The message must go to our brothers and sisters in Liberia. We the Kpelle people have to make use of our population and this is the time.
With Nuquay as a vice running mate to Boakai, I can tell you that the Kpelle are closer to the presidency”, what a tribal ideologue!
Addressing himself to the above comments of Senator Yallah, Speaker Nuquay applauded him for these illpolitico, divisive and regional solidarity tendencies which could reflect sadly the kind of character of our would be incoming vice president.
If the People Unification Party (PUP) was organized purposely to produce a Kpelle President or a Central Region president, why not rename the party Kpelle People Party (KPP) or Central Region Party (CRP)?
Why must you disguise yourself as a political party? Are you not aware that a political party must cut across regional or tribal lines?
A genuine political party must reflect regional balance in its leadership structure.
A political party is a government in waiting. Any government which does not take into account geopolitical balance in its leadership structure is heading for instability.
For a country coming from a devastating civil war, Liberian politicians must do all they can to disabuse their minds from tribal, regional, and or religious political influences.
Population Politics
What is the population of the Kpelle tribe that Senator Yallah and his likes are bragging about?
Can the Kpelle tribe based on its population produce a President?
Is Senator Yallah aware that you need fifty plus one percent number to win the presidency?
No tribe in Liberia can produce a President on the strength of its population.
This is what makes Liberia one of the few very good countries in the world. In order to win the presidency of Liberia it requires the support of other regions.
Being a majority tribe, the other tribes put together can stop any Kpelle tribal ideologue from winning the presidency.
Under Mining Vice President Boakai Election
Let the word go forth and clear. I am a staunch supporter if not overly, for the election of Speaker Nuquay and Vice President Boakai as Vice President and President.
But I hate the tendency of some supporters of VP Boakai and Speaker Nuquay who engage in making public statements that could undermine the overall objective of electing the two people comes October 2017.
I do remember hearing on some local radio the name of an organization calling itself “North Central Alliance”.
The leadership of this organization claims to rally support for VP Boakai.
These kinds of tendencies are likely to infiltrate political decision making whereby the country is led by one group of people to the exclusion of others.
This is my fear. Liberians should stop thinking so low. We must elect or select leaders who are competent and upright to move our country forward rather than tribal or regional consideration.