Monrovia – Adamant, he was, from the onset, refusing to back down from the race to replace President Sirleaf amid repeated calls that running against his “Uncle Joe Boakai” was considered a disrespect in the Lofian tradition.
Report by Lennart Dodoo | [email protected]
But with less than six months to Election Day, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, has abandoned his quest – a cherished ambition for which he resigned his influential job in order to abide by the Code of Conduct and parted ways with the Unity Party—to become President of Liberia. To many, his decision was backstabbing to the Unity Party on whose back he rose to prominence.
Ngafuan, who was an influential figure in government, having served as Minister of Finance during President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s first term and Foreign Minister for the first two years of her second term suddenly resigned but promised to remain active during the 2017 elections.
In his search for a new political home, he, in October 2016, joined the Victory for Change Party, describing the less popular party as the only one which shares his vision for the country and capable of winning the Presidential elections.
However, his marriage with the party was soon wrapped in controversies when its founder and current standard bearer, Cllr. Marcus Jones, in an interview with journalists, shortly after Ngafuan joined the party, said the former UP stalwart did not qualify to lead VCP to elections or to contest any position on the party’s ticket, as he did not meet the requirement of the party’s constitution.
Weighing his ambition to that of the party and country’s interest, FrontPage Africa in an exclusive interview shortly after the pronouncement of his ambition quizzed Ngafuan whether he doesn’t consider his opposition to VP Boakai’s bid as disrespect.
“Well, it’s not a matter of disrespect; it is a matter of choices. Let me give you a little history. Lofa has had a tradition of putting forth its best in national elections,” Ngafuan answered.
“In 1985, Lofa had two vice standard bearers in the persons of Dr. Harry Moniba and Harold Darma. In fact both of them were Gbandis my own tribesmen; Harry Moniba was the candidate for the NDPL (National Democratic Party of Liberia and the late Harry Darma was the standard bearer for the late Kpolleh.
And, then in 1997 Lofa had a Presidential candidate in the person of the late Fayiah Gbollie and then Harry Moniba, the former Vice President. We had two Presidential candidates from Lofa in 1997.
“In the 2005 elections, we also had two Presidential candidates, Dr. Robert Kpoto and John Morlu Sr. In that election, I was supporting the candidacy of Madam Sirleaf, in that election, Lofa produced technically two vice standard bearers: Vice President now Joseph Nyumah Boakai and Honorable Rudolph Johnson who was the vice standard bearer to CDC’s George Weah.
“In the 2011 elections, Lofa produced three Presidential candidates: Cecelia Debe, one Dr. Stephen Guzeh, and Gladys Beyan. So if you look at the Lofa tradition, the tradition has been putting forth its best as Liberia goes and decides. I am not in the process in opposition to Vice President Boakai.
Many persons in the county believe that it is good as we get into the 2017 electoral process, which is full of challenges and intrigues, it is good for the county to flag its best – that’s what I mean it is not an opposition to the vice President and I don’t think he will be in opposition to me.”
He continued: “The thing I can tell you is that my political move does not surprise Madam Sirleaf and it is not an act of being ungrateful. But let me give you this piece of information. “
“You remember in the 2011 elections, not once, not twice, that Madam Sirleaf was clear that she and her Vice President started together and they will end together and they will turn over to the younger generation of leaders.”
“You remember that and I think one of your journalists might have interviewed the vice President and he said well, 2017 he will retire and so if any young person, young leader grew ambition for the future, it was not coming out of the sky because it was a promise to the younger generation.”
But young and energetic Ngafuan apparently does not see his way forward in the race, as he has been out of the political radar since his big event in Gbarnga, in October 2016.
His comeback to the political scene is rather on a different footing. Like the prodigal son, he has decided to fling his support behind Vice President Boakai – the man he initially refused to step aside for.
His disclosure to support the Presidential ambition of Vice President Boakai was posted on his Facebook timeline.
In an open invitation to his special political event on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at the Monrovia City Hall where he said he would be delivering a special statement on the evolving 2017 political process and a host of national issues, he stated that the standard bearer of the Unity Party, Vice President Boakai, and an array of political actors would also be at the program.
FPA has been tipped that Ngafuan would use the occasion to endorse the candidacy of Boakai.
It remains unclear why he is bowing out of the race, but sources close to him said his realization came due to his failure to build a fortified political base.
Ngafuan rose to political prominence during the 2005 elections when he formed the Youth for Ellen Sirleaf (YES) on the campus of the University Liberia to gain the support of the student movement to support Sirleaf.
He would be appointed as director of the dissolved Bureau of the Budget and later Minister of Finance and Minister of Foreign Affairs.