“Carpe diem” or seize the opportunity/moment” was what US Ambassador Michael McCarthy told the opposition political parties when the US slapped SANCTIONS on top aides to Liberian President George Manneh Weah.
By: Jerry Wehtee Wion, Retired Liberian Journalist and Political Commentator
Ambassador McCarthy’s deputy is reinforcing that message to the Liberian opposition in his speech appearance at the Cuttington University College.
We have a saying in Liberia that you can take the horse to the river but you cant force it to drink.
President George Weah will be re-elected if the “Opposition” doesn’t get its act together. What else does the opposition want for Liberia’s stepmother to do for Liberia?
For God’s sake, please UNITE and put the interest of Liberis above your individual egos/desires for the presidency.
Then there are surrogates for Alex Cummings and Joseph Boakai adding gas to the fires by opposing a united ticket for both men, foolishly believing that their candidate can win with a 50 percent-plus one vote in the first round of voting on October 10, 2024
Pure fantasy.
Would Joe Boakai and Alex Cummings be happy if Weah is re-elected because you refuse to unite for your individual egos? And foolishly, their surrogates are pushing the idea that no one candidate will muster 50 percent-plus one vote in the first round of voting.
Why wait to unite in a runoff which is not guaranteed? Why not unite now but rather wait to unite in a runoff? We are not “stupay” here.
My last commentary a week ago in Frontpageafrica was for a Boakai-Cummings ticket which was strongly opposed by surrogates of both men. Why?
Ok. Let me try again, this time with another ticket: Joseph Boakai and Tiawon Gongloe..
Lawyer Gongloe has more character and integrity than most Liberians alive today. He had not lived outside of Libetia. He was beaten and nearly died during the Charles Taylor dictatorship. He served with distinction under Presidrnt Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He is perhaps the first Liberian to resign from his top cabinet post in the history of Liberia.
Mr. Gongloe served with honors as Solicitor General and Minister of Labor.
Mr. Gongloe was President of the Liberia Bar Association.
He is known as the “Poor Man Lawyer” representing anyone without asking for pay.
Mr. Gongloe is from vote rich Nimba County. His mother is from the largest tribe in Liberia, the Kpelle tribe that spans Bong, Lofa, Margibi, Grand Bassa and Montserrado Counties. Plus, he is popular with the Labor Unions, Market Associations. Youths and the student population to the college level.
I am Kru and Grebo like President Weah but the future of Liberia is bigger than tribes. Mr. Boakai is Kissi but his integrity has won me over to him. Elections have consequences.
Then there is the US factor. Liberia’s survivor as a nation is made possible to a larger extent by our step mom, AMERICA. President George Bush drove Charles Taylor out of Liberia.
When a US Secretary of State ( Mike Pompeo) publicly ridicules Liberia for giving its diplomatic passports to Islamic Jihadists and known drug cartel members who seek to do harm to Israel and allies of America, then it is just a matter of time before America says enough is enough to the Weah Administration. All of this is to tell the Opposition to Unite for the common good of Liberia.
This is the message coming from the the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States in Monrovia.
Mr. Boakai: Age is not on your side so you must get it right this time in picking a good vice president for your ticket.
A seasoned lawyer like Gongloe is my recommendation. In 2017 I recommended Mt. Gongloe but you took little known Rep. Emmanuel Nuquay of Margibi County who did not deliver Margibi to you. Elections have consequences. I rest my cade.
Jerry Wehtee Wion
Retired Liberian Journalist and
Political Commentator
Wsshington, DC, USA