Monrovia – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf might be wiping her hands off the Unity Party as her tenure comes to an end and many are taking notice, including Vice president Joseph N. Boakai.
Report by Bettie Johnson-Mbayo – [email protected]
The President, in recent time, has come under several reproaches for not doing much to support and prepare the party ahead of the October presidential and legislative elections. Many partisans of the Unity Party also accused her of pumping more money into opposition Liberty Party and its standard bearer, Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine.
This accusation stems from the unprecedented fleet of vehicles being acquired by the Liberty Party and the cross carpeting of staunch members and supporters of the Unity Party to the Liberty Party, including the high profile resignation of Harrison Karnwea.
President Sirleaf is yet to harken to calls from party members to dismiss him as Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority.
She was also accused by some members of the party in Nimba County of refusing to attend a meeting called by them and failing to state who she would be supporting during the elections.
Amidst the criticisms and accusation, the Press Secretary to the President, through a statement wrote: “The President is on record about her choice of candidate in the 2017 elections and that has not changed. When the time for politic comes, she will do what is required of a campaign and politics.”
But FrontPage Africa observed during an exclusive interview with Vice President Boakai on Monday, February 27 that he is of the opinion that his boss, who he holds over three decades of relationship with and has served as her Vice President for the past 11 years, has not been able to build confidence in him as her successor.
Writings on the Wall
Boakai is uncertain who President Sirleaf supports but said it could be that she is keeping her trump card of support to herself as she hasn’t rendered the party any support.
“I know what she’s not doing for the Unity Party, but the people probably know what she’s doing for other parties. We’re asking her – the Unity Party is her party, it’s the party that would bear her legacy and she ought to be supporting it,” he said.
Beating around the bush in relation who the President might be supporting, Boakai told FrontPageAfrica to listen to what Liberians are saying.
“I am not the one saying that President Sirleaf fully supports Brumskine. The people are reading the signs and they’re saying that.
We live in a society where everybody supposedly is informed about everything that is happening. So the way we go about things, the people are informed and they interpret your movement, your action, your body language and they say, ‘We see certain things happening.’”
“Whether she’s supporting Brumskine wholly and solely I don’t know. The people who are reading the signs are saying ‘This is what we see.’ They have spoken to it publicly, she has heard it.
She has given some reactions, but for me what I know is that so far the President is not supporting Unity Party as she should do.”
Despite realizing the President’s shortfall in supporting the Unity Party’s quest, the vice president said he remains confident that without her support, he can lead the party to victory in October.
“Maybe she’s waiting for the time, maybe she’s waiting for the occasion, but what I am saying is I have been elected standard bearer of the party. I’m under obligation to make sure that the party continues whether the president is supporting the party or not.”
“I have the mandate to take the party and run with it. It is my job to make the Unity Party continue and make it that party that’s supposed to be until she decides she would come on board.
“Currently we have received no support so far,” he added.
The Vice President Is Not The President
A Boakai presidency to many Liberians desperate for change would mean a continuation of President Sirleaf’s regime which they believed has failed to meet their expectations and address the developmental needs of Liberia.
His critics have often argued that he has had 11 years as Vice President to make a difference, yet could not address the needs of Liberians or use his influence.
But in a rather warm response, Boakai, who holds a different view of that notion, told FPA that his role as the second man is limited.
“The role of the Vice President is very clear. I am not the President. I do not make appointments. I do not set the rules, the President is the President.
Anytime a Vice President competes with the President, you know there’s going to be problem. My role is to preside over the Senate without taking a vote; my role is to assist the President.
“Assist the President means that the President has a need and the President recognizes that the Vice President can fill those needs, she’ll ask the Vice President to do that.”
According to Boakai, since the two elections which brought Unity Party to power, President Sirleaf has never asked him to recommend to her any minister to any ministry.
However, he recognized, that it is the prerogative of the President and there was no need for him interfering if not called upon.
“Do I have the right to go the President to ask that without people saying ‘You trying to fight the woman, that’s the woman’s right?
I cannot do it. The President must invite me, she must see the need the same way she felt the need to have a Vice President, that’s my role.
I am Vice President; the difference between me and the President may be the way we implement.”
Splitting Ways?
He described as saddening that after 11 years; Liberians are questioning whether he and President Sirleaf are still working together.
“Every year up to the 11th year, this Vice President has been a good Vice President. I’ve been very supportive.
At this moment in time that we are where we are, where people begin to question as to whether we’re working together is saddening.
And I hope that can change because I don’t think this is the way we want to part. I believe we should continue to work together so that we continue to render our services as a party and as friends.”