Politicians seeking Liberian Presidency Must Have More to Offer than Rhetoric in their quest for the presidency, legislative seats
A LOT OF POLITICIANS are coming out of the woodwork and making their intentions of contesting the 2017 Presidential and legislative elections known.
WHAT MANY so far are refusing to state is what difference are they going to make? What are they going to do differently that the current President or the last 23 have not been able to do?
HOW ARE THEY going to fix the economy? How are they going to address the lingering issue of poverty, the impact of declining global trend, human rights, healthcare, commerce, trade, infrastructural development and simply put, how are they going to make life different and better for those languishing at the bottom of the economic ladder.
FOR TOO LONG, politicians have taken Liberians for a ride, rode on the backs of their fears, apprehensions and vulnerabilities but failing to address the issues central to the well-being of the citizenry.
AS WE APPROACH THE CAMPAIGN period for the 2017 Presidential elections, surrogates of the usual suspects have taken to social media and other online forums to trumpet their candidates as the next best thing, the next great hope and the saviour of Liberia’s current predicament.
WHAT WE HOPE to see in the coming weeks are answers to pressing problems, solutions to complex intricacies that has divided Liberia for decades.
CAN THE NEXT President promise that he or she will be a unifier? Can they promise that if elected they will radically improve the welfare of the poor and needy? Would they be able to ensure that the rights of those addressing the ills of the society will be protected?
THESE ARE ISSUES that supporters and those seeking the presidency are failing to address.
SADLY, MANY rode on the vulnerability of fear that others before them did not address these issues and got elected so why should they be any different?
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR Liberians to wake up and smell the stench of political manipulators before encouraging them to enter the realm of leadership.
CONSTITUENCIES AND VOTERS must ask questions. When candidates come knocking, neighbourhood watchers and leaders must be ready to put them through the rigours of scrutiny and not relent or give any one a free pass.
DISTRICTS, VILLAGES AND TOWNS must hold town hall meetings and invite candidates to talk about their plans and agenda for Liberia, their hopes and aspirations.
RHETORIC HAS FORM the basis for many elections before 2017 and will more than like will be for many more to come but Liberians can begin to transform the trend by asking those seeking their votes the hard questions that will impact their lives, questions that will make the difference between right and wrong, between hardships and good times; between success and failure between life and death and between ups and downs.
IT IS IMPERATIVE also that those eyeing leadership choose a path of respect for those they are aiming to lead by being sincere about their intentions.
TOO MANY HAVE DIED for so little and endless amount of time have been spent on speeches that have amounted to nothing.
IT IS OUR HOPE that Liberians stop the whining, the bickering and the noise and decide their own destiny by demanding more from those aspiring to lead.
IT IS NOT ABOUT how much crowd one can pull, but how much impact they are capable of making to change the lives of those lingering in abject poverty at the bottom of the economic ladder.
THIS IS LIBERIA’S defining moment. Its most important elections are on the horizon. Liberians can decide to take the road less travel or continue down the trend that has done nothing but led pain, and suffering, difficulties and neglect, after the votes have been cast.
YOUR VOTE CAN DECIDE your own fate. Do not let a politician decide it for you. Destiny lies within.