Nimba County -Scores of Nimbians, particularly women, paraded the streets of Ganta in support of Vice President Joseph Boakai. With the number put forth if truly translated into votes, Senator Prince Johnson is expected to meet up with a stiff challenge in what is considered his stronghold over the weekend.
Report by Al-Varney Rogers – [email protected]
The crowd converged at the J.W. Pearson sport pitch, dressing in different attires with the inscription “support Boakai.”
The group, Patriotic Nimbaians Movement for Boakai with no financial assistance, gathered in their numbers to show support for the Vice President.
The message that resonated during what was considered a meeting of supporters for Boakai was the issue of voter registration.
Representing Vice President Boakai, Magdalene Dagoseh urged supporters of the Vice President to turnout en masse and must register during the voter registration period.
Madam Dagoseh told the gathering that the only way their dream of wanting to see Vice President Boakai as the next President is to partake in the voter registration process.
Despite the numbers from elections coming out of Nimba continues to show that Senator Johnson is a force to reckon with, supporters of Boakai are saying the tide is turning in favor of the Vice President this year.
A resident of Ganta, Peter Dahn, who was part of the jubilant crowd, said the Vice President is the most prepared candidate in the race, adding that he is a man of integrity.
Dahn who claims that he was a supporter of Senator Johnson also said that his decision to leave the Johnson camp to support Boakai is because his candidate is not sincere about the presidency.
“Look, the senator is our own tribal man but he’s not serious, every day he brings different people to show to us.”
“We are not going to sit for anybody to make business out of us, it is better we support our country brother (Vice President Boakai) one time,” Dahn said.
Dahn, who did not deny the strong support the senator has, added that people are gradually getting frustrated and are looking for a new direction.
“This time around we are not waiting for people to come and tell us who to vote for,” he said.
Since 2005 Unity Party has always come second in Nimba but political observers say if Vice President Boakai can gather grassroots support, he might just put out a shocking surprise in Nimba.
The Patriotic Nimbians Movement for Boakai (PANIMOB) a grassroots political base institution is the brain behind the organization of the rally for Boakai.
PANIMOB Secretary General Austin Railey said the event was to increase women and girls participation in the voter registration process.
“Most of the political activities are predominantly male driven so, we want to break this barrier by increasing women participation in the voter registration that was how our chairlady Felecia Yormie took this initiative along with county chairman Tony Gonyor.
Today program had a basic theme that is increasing women and girls participation in voter registration,” Railey said.
Railey said PANIMOB next event, which is expected to be grace by the Vice President, will see Ganta lockdown.
“You saw the outcome – people were overwhelmed, this is not a Ganta event this is a county event.”
“If the Vice President was here, Ganta was going to lock down, the coming of Ambassador Boakai will be like a completely holiday,” Railey said.
PANIMOB Secretary General furthered that their support the VP is not based on monetary gains rather the moral values the Vice President exhibited over the years.
“We decided to form an institution that will align with a political institution that shares our vision.”
“It was when we try to carefully examine all of the political institutions and leaders in Liberia.
We did a case by case assessment, it was when Ambassador Boakai name came up, our decision to join the Unity Party and our support to Ambassador Boakai has no monetary value,” Railey said.
PANIMOB came into existence on August 4, 2016 by a group of young Nimbaians who served the county leadership for the Liberty Party. Difference with the Liberty put asunder in the marriage.
“The party policy and what we believe in as sons of Nimba could not align.”
“We wanted to serve in a position where we will be very truthful to the people of Nimba, after we left the Liberty Party we were looking at the possible options,” Railey added.
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