Monrovia – The Montserrado County Campaign Manager of the ruling Unity Party, Senator Geraldine Doe Sheriff has clarified that President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf supports the Presidential bid of Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai and the Unity Party.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
Senator Sheriff’s pronouncement comes in the wake of incessant speculations from political pundits, the opposition bloc and some members of the Unity Party that President Sirleaf is not supporting the Vice President in his quest to become her successor.
Many argued that the President’s absence from the programs marking the official launch of the Unity Party’s 2017 political campaign was a clear manifestation that the President has turned her back on the Vice President, who has been by her side for almost twelve years and her party at a time she is most needed.
But addressing a press conference on Monday, September 18 at the Unity Party’s Montserrado Campaign headquarters, Senator Sheriff noted that it is laughable for the opposition and critics to think that the President will prefer another Presidential Candidate to Vice President Boakai.
“You people are assuming too much in this country. I find it very interesting for opposition to be thinking that the President of this country doesn’t support Joseph Nyumah Boakai. It is laughable. The President has three months to exit this office and she is doing her national duty.
The President supports Joseph Nyumah big time. If you are depending on Ellen’s small money to give to you, she’s the biggest politician in the history of the Republic of Liberia. She will give you wide way,” she said.
Responding to a question about why the President did not turn up for the rally, the UP’s Montserrado County Campaign Manager asserted that President Sirleaf is performing her national duty to ensure that there is a peaceful transition; and her absence does not imply that she is not in support of Ambassador Boakai.
“Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is supporting JNB. I want to put a period mark to that statement.”
“That is for the opposition to think what they want to think. But we are moving on and we are moving and we are making progress. And let me tell you that if Ronaldo is not on the field and we are playing like this, and Ronaldo decides that last minutes to time he wants to kick a penalty, en da goal and the game is over?” she quipped.
Speaking earlier, Senator Sheriff averred that the mammoth crowd that turned out over the weekend is the result of the love and trust that Liberians have in Ambassador Boakai and the Unity Party, and also the level of hard work and commitment exhibited by every partisan.
The Unity Party strong woman, flanked by key party’s stalwarts Atty. George Kailondo, and Ambassador Rufus Neufville thanked all supporters and called on them to transcend that loyalty at the polls on October 10, 2017 to ensure an outright victory.
“The race has just started. We must reach the end. The show of strength forced the opposition in the state of perpetual retreat, but the election is not yet over. We need to keep pushing and working hard until victory is won. We must continue to defy the rains and move from town to town until we win on October 10,” she urged.
She added that VP Boakai has mandated all of his supporters to turn out en masse to ensure a one round victory in favor of the Unity Party in order to divert to better use the money that would be needed for a runoff election. Stating the funds could be channeled to rendering basic social services such as the rehabilitation of roads and the improvement of healthcare delivery system.
“We must win the first round because we have that agenda for social economic growth and development. We cannot do tomorrow what we are capable of doing today. Wear your jeans and fasten your belt. And let us work harder than ever. We have God and the people on our side and there is no turning back,” Senator Sheriff averred.