Gbarnga, Bong County – Citizens of Bong County have arrived at a compromise to petition the Standard Bearer of the Unity Party Joseph Boakai to select the Minister of Internal Affairs Dr. Henrique Tokpa as his running mate in 2017.
Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
Prominent citizens of the county, mainly chiefs and youth groups, have been in negotiations after it emerged that Ambassador Boakai was scouting for a running mate from Bong County.
The names of Dr. Tokpa and Liberia’s Ambassador to the United States of America Jeremiah Sulunteh were touted as favorites Boakai was considering for the position.
FrontPageAfrica has gathered that opinion leaders of the county have selected Dr. Tokpa over Ambassador Sulunteh as their preferred option to contest as running mate to the unity Party standard bearer.
Besides, multiple opinion polls conducted by radio stations in Gbarnga also ranked Dr. Tokpa high over Ambassador Sulunteh as the suitable option to Ambassador Boakai.
Most of the callers said Dr. Tokpa has a wealth of experience and capable of delivering the county to the Unity Party.
“Dr. Tokpa has been a key factor in Bong County politics and it would really pay off if the vice president selected him as his running mate,” one caller said on Hott FM radio station in Gbarnga.
Another caller said: “It is no secret that Dr. Tokpa has gone on to establish himself as an icon in the county since he lost the 2014 senatorial election to Senator Taylor.
I believe Dr. Tokpa has influence now in the county than Ambassador Sulunteh because Sulunteh is far away coupled with the level of development Dr. Tokpa has been carrying out in the county. He would be a good choice not only for Boakai but for any presidential candidate.”
Tokpa’s influence grows in Bong County
To John Willie, chairman of Liberty Party Bong County chapter, the much-touted performance of the Unity Party in Bong County is a mere, undeserved media hype.
As he told FrontPageAfrica last weekend, “Unity Party hasn’t done well in bringing back the dividend of democracy to people of Bong County and has only been doing business with certain group of people in the county using the tag of a progressive.”
One thing that Willie agreed with, however, is that the Bong County population would be the most decisive in determining who wins the presidential election in 2017.
Between 2013 and now, Dr. Tokpa has worked to position the county so strategically that in today’s political calculation, most citizens from the county are not being understated to influence the fortune (or misfortune) of either Boakai or his opponents.
As the nation heads into the presidential election next year, Bong County remains a sure bet for the Unity Party to amass votes for its presidential candidate if the Boakai-Tokpa rumors are anything to go by.
The Tokpa’s case in the county has been further helped by a steadily growing wave of propaganda citizens of the county have been deploying effectively, applying nativity politics. This has succeeded in no small measure to affect the thinking pattern of many in the county.
With the Congress of Democratic Change’s support base largely eroded in the county, political observers say the Unity Party will be looking towards Bong County for a significant number of the votes that would influence the final results in Ambassador Boakai’s favor.
Here is where Dr. Tokpa’s biggest test would be as the popular leader of the Bong County politics will come into play, according to many pundits.
Tokpa: From dark horse to influential leader in Bong
From creeping into political relevance as a senatorial candidate in the 2014 special senatorial election as an independent candidate, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr. Tokpa, has gradually built his political clout over the years and appears to be the leading light in Bong County politics.
“Dr. Tokpa has risen from an unknown politician in Liberia to a character that is respected by his Kinsmen and worthy of public confidence all over the country,” James Dorbor Sao, an aspirant of electoral district five in Bong County told FrontPageAfrica.
Another prominent Bong County citizen, Wellington Bellepu, former Commissioner of Panta district opined that Tokpa has grown to become the “face” of Bong County due to the amount of people-centered projects he has undertaken in the county for the past ten years.
Though some of Tokpa adversaries, mainly some small group of politicians from the county brand his political philosophy or regard him as an upstart who suddenly arrived on the scene to upstage their own leadership claims.
But in earnest, Tokpa has been building his political profile since he emerged an unknown political quantity in the senatorial election in which he finished second to the eventual winner, Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor.
Before venturing into politics, Tokpa had been president of Cuttington University, from where he helped built the human capacity of many youths in the county from the establishment of his tuition scheme.
Over 1000 youths of the county benefited from tuition scheme before his resignation from the University in 2015.
Tokpa and 2017
One of those who believe in Tokpa’s capabilities and electoral value is Bong County Representative Prince K. Moye, lawmaker of electoral district two.
Representative Moye told FrontPage Africa Sunday: “I have seen him as a leader and a politician of immense capabilities and tremendous energy all directed towards the betterment of his people and greater Liberia.
Seeing Tokpa rise to where he is today in Bong County and Liberia’s political terrain, has kept many surprise. Ansu Sesay, a Gbarnga entrepreneur, told FrontPageAfrica that Tokpa is the answer to uniting Bong County.
“For too we have been divided as a county and I am happy to see the emergence of a person that can unite citizens of the county and the political leaders as well,” Mr. Sesay said.
The last part of Representative Moye’s assertion is what Tokpa’s faithful are flaunting would sway citizens’ heart in Unity Party’s favor when selected as a vice running mate to Joseph Boakai in 2017.
“Tokpa would be a good vice president to Joseph Boakai owing to his growing influence in the county and significantly among leaders of the county,” Representative Moye added.
Assuring that his former boss will deliver Bong County, the distri
ct two lawmaker said Tokpa has proven his commitment to developmental projects and programs by ensuring that people who can provide good leadership and managerial skill are empowered.
“There are many examples to buttress my point. We are all witnesses to what Dr. Tokpa has been able to do for the people of Bong County. He has done well in my estimation,” he added.
Continuing, he added: People of Bong County have been commending Dr. Tokpa for his achievements in the county. You cannot compare previous Cuttington presidents with Dr. Tokpa’s leadership. Cuttington University changed tremendously.”
