Our country and its nascent democracy is at great peril and if nothing is done, we risk a fall into the abyss of conflict and dysfunctionality. Every day we read in the newspapers or hear on the radio some version of a fallout or conflict between the President and her Vice President, whom she selected to replace her.
The story, as told, may not be 100% correct but the fact that there is some semblance of concern in those circles is troubling and terrifying, to say the least. The video posted on the FPA website in which the former Chairman of the Unity Party, Senator Varney Sherman, is seen venting his anger and frustration at the President is very dangerous.
That Senator Varney Sherman, who is very close to Joe Boakai, could come out in the public to say those things speak volume and raise many concerns as to what Joe Baokai is truly thinking. It would be impossible for Varney Sherman to make those utterances without the explicit approval of Joe Boakai and if that is what Joe Boakai is think about his boss, then the country is in serious trouble.
If Joe Boakai didn’t approve of the message by Varney Sherman, he could have promptly issued a rebuttal or clarification but from all indications, that’s Joe Baokai’s message.
And trust me, Madam President is reading deep into those messages and is truly preparing herself. At this point, I believe Madam President is working with her colleagues in the international community to ensure that she is protected from the diabolical plans of Joe Boakia, Varney Sherman and Associates. For the Unity Party to have such hatred and division within is a dangerous thing for the country.
The way such hatred and animosity get resolved could stall the country’s progress in the area of democratic governance as well as economic development. It means that the Unity Party will be settling scores for the first half of its term and nothing will get done. When nothing gets done, the ordinary people will continue to suffer.
This is where I think a United Opposition can truly save the country and its democracy. Our people have suffered too long and we should not allow the bitterness and hatred amongst those who ruled for the last 12 years to hold our country back.
The United Opposition can come together and retire the Unity Party by ensuring that they don’t win the elections. The Unity Party seems like it needs time to go and sort out it differences and heal itself before they can recontest.
If we make a mistake and give the country to a bunch a people who have clearly demonstrated that theirs is regime of settling scores, then we will throw our country backward another 100 years.
The civil war inside in the Unity Party should not be allowed to adversely affect the forward march of the country. Does anyone think that Madam Sirleaf will sit back and allow her Vice President of 12 years to undermine her “legacy”?
And will Varney Sherman and other folks like Wilmot Paye allow Madam Sirleaf and her son and sister (Robert and Aunite Jennie) to go free?
The troubles inside the Unity Party run too deep but this is no reason for the country to suffer. These people were given 12 years as a Party and they could not mend fences and put their acts together to move the country forward. I don’t believe giving them another 6 years for the purpose of destroying one another and the country will help our people.
The United Opposition is the last hope of the Liberian people. Though they are contesting the elections separately, they have an opportunity to commit to one another that in the second round, they will stick together and ensure that the Unity Party is not given the opportunity to further destroy the country.
I think that the opposition community should begin to take practical steps in documenting their commitment to this cause and agreeing that in the interest of the country that they all love, they will commit to stopping the Unity Party from securing a third term.
The writings are on the wall that this civil war inside the Unity Party will not end well and therefore no need for the ordinary people who have been patiently waiting for their economic lots to improve to be victimized by vendetta and score settling.
In my next article, I will demonstrate how a Third Term for the Unity Party will further destroy our democracy; but for now, I think the United Opposition needs to start the work of saving our dear country now.
Robin Lee Tarpeh, Contributing Writer
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