Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – At a jam packed rally in Grand Bassa County, Vice President Joe Boakai has maintained that the county does not belong to any group of Liberians.
Report by Edwin Genoway, Jr – [email protected]
“This county does not belong to anyone group of people in Liberia, one cannot own a county that belongs to Liberia,” he said.
Grand Bassa County is considered the stronghold of Liberty Party standard bearer Charles Brumskine and many pundits see the statement as a jibe at Liberty Party.
He said the young people of Liberia need skills training and education.
The Vice President lamented that ownership of Grand Bassa County is not based on being born in the county but what an individual can do to help its people.
“Being born in Grand Bassa County does not guarantee you ownership of this county,” he told supporters.
He noted that the huge turnout to welcome him to Grand Bassa County has dispelled rumors that Grand Bassa County is “owned by special people.”
During the 2011 elections, Liberty Party pulled 28,000 votes from Grand Bassa County while the Unity Party won with a little over 24,000.
During the ceremony, officials and elders of the county officially turned over the keys of the county to the Unity Party Standard Bearer.
The county officials said they believe that only VP Boakai can deliver Liberia and complete what president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has started.
The elders and officials named the restoration of pipeborne water to the county and the pavement of the road leading to Buchanan as some of the achievements of the Unity Party which warrant another term.
Reading the declaration of support for the presidency of VP Boakai on behalf of the county, the development Superintendent, Moses Bull, praised the VP for single handedly restoring running water to the county.
“We from this county believe that giving you the presidency will deliver Liberia from its struggling stage.”
“We hereby declare that the residents and citizens of this county wholeheartedly welcome you and support you in this county,” he read.
The VP was then handed over the keys of the city by Madam Julia Bono, Mayor of the city of Buchanan.
Bono praised the VP for being respectful and committed even when he served at the level of LPMC, saying VP Boakai is the next president of Liberia.
“We are pleased to announce that you are the next president of Liberia, the people of Grand Bassa County have authorized me to turn the keys of the city to you,” she noted.
The traditional leaders of the county also performed their tradition by giving the VP Kola nuts as a way of welcoming him to the county.
Prince Moses Garyou, a resident of Buchanan who had gone to observe the program expressed disappointment in the leadership of the county for purporting themselves as supporters of the Unity Party by giving the keys of the county to VP Boakai.
“I believe that this is a pay and rented crowd pulled with the intention of confusing our people,” he explained.
With the contrary position given by Garyou, supporters of VP Boakai refused to be discouraged with statements from non-supporters of the UP.
Prince Harris, who was seen in well decorated T-shirt with the inscription “Boakai our next hero”, was fast to point out that the VP will win Grand Bassa County with landslide victory.
“We said it before and we are saying it now, Ambassador Boakai will win this county with landslide victory. We don’t care what Liberty Party supporters will feel about this,” Harris noted.