Monrovia – Businessman Benoni Urey has reportedly emerged on the shortlist of hopefuls being considered by Vice President Joseph Boakai as a running mate for the 2017 Presidential elections, FrontPage Africa has learned.

Report by Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

The overtures to Urey comes amid report that the People’s Unification Party(PUP) has abandoned its quest of fielding a member of the Kpelleh tribal group for the 2017 presidency in the aftermath of the election of Representative James Emmanuel Nuquay as Speaker of the House of Representative.

Multiple sources from both the Vice President and Mr. Urey camps confirmed to FrontPage Africa this week that Mr. Urey was summoned to a meeting with the VP last week in talks aides on both sides described as cordial and encouraging.

Among the topics discussed, according to sources, were the Vice President  and ruling Unity Party’s standard bearer’s concerns over growing attacks on his candidacy by Mr. Urey through his strong supporter, talk show host Henry Costa.

The overtures to Urey comes amid report that the People’s Unification Party(PUP) has abandoned its quest of fielding a member of the Kpelleh tribal group for the 2017 presidency in the aftermath of the election of Representative James Emmanuel Nuquay as Speaker of the House of Representative.

Speaker Nuquay, one of the PUP’s original members had earlier rejected reports that the party was tribal based.

Sources have confirmed to FrontPage Africa that the PUP is now more likely to throw its weight behind Boakai, spurring a massive division of the vote-rich Bong County.

It is widely believed that the recently coalition of George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change and Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Party (NPP) under the banner of the coalition for Democratic Change will likely see former First Lady now Bong Senator Jewel Howard Taylor becoming running mate to Weah, a scenario which could split the county between Nuquay’s PUP and Boakai’s quest to cement his place in the county with the emergence of Urey in the picture.

The county, as of the 2008 Census, had a population of 328,919, making it the third-most populous county in Liberia and is strategically bordered by Boakai’s hometown, Lofa and next door Gbarpolu to the north, Margibi and Montserrado Counties to the west, Grand Bassa to the south and Nimba to the east.

Despite its massive numbers, only 65, 963 electorates cast their votes during the 2011 elections as the county threw its weight behind Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. The ruling Unity Party won 52,949 while CDC’s Winston Tubman won 10, 499.

The overtures to Urey by VP Boakai comes as the Vice President is said to be narrowing down a shortlist of potential running mates that also includes the like of former Public Works Minister Kofi Woods, Internal Affairs Minister Henrique Tokpa, also a former President of the Cuttington University, Harrison Karnwea, Managing Director of the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and Mr. Jeremiah Sulunteh, Ambassador accredited to the United States of America.

The overtures also comes as Urey’s All Liberia Party(ALP) appears to be losing steam with many of the President ial hopeful’s critics accusing him of not seizing the moment and taking charge of the vulnerable political terrain.

Urey, regarded as one of the most financially-stable contenders for the presidency was listed by the Economist magazine as the richest man in Liberia.

The 2017 Presidential elections remain up in the air with many unsure who has the edge to replace Sirleaf after the 2017 President ial race.

Many political observers fear that the clouded Presidential field with nearly 25 candidates eyeing the presidency could come down to one important but complicated configuration bordering a post-war nation with a history of voting on tribal lines: Prince Johnson is widely expected to win Nimba as he did in 2011, Charles Brumskine of the opposition Liberty Party is expected to win Grand Bassa while Boakai is expected to win his hometown in Lofa.

The dynamics could come down to which of those three will be able to give the CDC coalition a fight in vote-rich Montserrado County and much of the Southeast where former Coca Cola executive Alexander Cummings has reportedly been making some headway.

Barring any unforeseen projections or surprises in the coming weeks and months leading to the 2017 Presidential elections the unfolding scenario and political development could offer a glimpse into the outcome of the Presidential race although voter turnout and financial standings will also prove to be a decisive factor in the play for the presidency.

Monrovia – On the heels of the 2005 Presidential campaign, Dr. Joseph Boakai, then a contender for the Liberian presidency had a sense that the current President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf would tip him as her running mate.

Report by Rodney D. Sieh, rodney.sieh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Vice President and ruling party standard bearer is reportedly coming close to naming a running mate; with age, experience factoring in on selection process

Writing in his biography, From Foya to the Capitol, Dr. Sakui Malakpa writes: “While Joe was being wooed, a number of his Loma nephews, including Victor Lamin and Forkpa Gizzie, wanted him to become VP of the Unity Party.

If this was possible, Joe was not sure initially, but somehow, he noticed a strange but consistent seating arrangement.

Although Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had not asked him to be her running mate, each time he went to a Unity Party meeting, a seat was always prepared for him next to her.”

Dr. Malakpa continues: “His friend and classmate, Ambassador Francis Karpeh noticed the consistency of this seating arrangement, and that was enough to convince him to join the Unity Party.”

Boakai, finally confronted Sirleaf that he had a chance to become Senator but wanted to know her thoughts relative to a running mate.

“She did not definitely commit, but only said she was eyeing him. However, in Saclapea, Nimba County she clearly and openly disclosed that her choice for a Vice Presidential candidate was Joe Boakai, from Lofa County.”

The pair went on to win the presidency.

In recent weeks, political observers have been cueing the speculations line looking for signs of potential 2017 pairings.

Whether it is Liberty Party’s Charles Brumskine’s recent outings with businessman and Liberia Football Association Chief Musa Bility or the recent merger of CDC, LDP and NPP which will likely see football legend George Weah pairing with Senator Jewel Howard Taylor, the rumour mills have been busy.

For Boakai, however, it has been difficult to decipher.

Earlier speculations had linked to VP to the likes of Internal Affairs Minister and former Cuttington University President Henrique Tokpah, Harrison Karnwea of the Forestry Development Authority and Jeremiah Sulunteh, Ambassador accredited to Washington.

But insiders have confided to FrontPageAfrica that the VP may likely opt for a younger and more viable but recognizable number two, in hopes of addressing the age concerns many fatigued over the Sirleaf-Boakai pairing.

One name that is said to be on the radar is human rights activist and former Public Works Minister Samuel Woods who is said to be quietly working behind the scenes of the Vice President’s push for the presidency.

Woods is among a wide range of progressives said to be building Mr. Boakai’s momentum heading into the 2017 elections.

Woods, according to sources, has been dispatched to a number of foreign errands on behalf of Boakai and is seen as one likely to bridge the gap between the old and young and address some of the concerns surrounding questions about Boakai’s potential lapses.

While many political observers and even politicians eyeing the presidency have been linked with vote-rich Nimba and Bong for pairings, Boakai’s gamble to look southeast could offset the conventional expectations and throw some of his competitors off guard.

The geographical implications of the 2017 elections will no doubt be a major factor in determining the next President especially in the backdrop of the multitude of political parties, at last count, 25 eyeing to lead a country of just over four million people with only half that number likely to actually cast their votes.

In 2011 some only 1,798,930 Liberians were registered to vote amounting for 58.72 percent turnout at the polls.

Ironically, some political observers say, the scramble for prominent citizens from Bong, Nimba and Lofa Counties could diminish their impact on the deciding results for presidency.

In 2011 for example, only 65, 963 electorates cast their votes in Bong. Of that number, Sirleaf of the ruling Unity Party won 52,949 while CDC’s Winston Tubman won 10, 499.

In Nimba, another vote-rich county, only 120, 683 residents of the county cast their votes. Of that number Sirleaf who won the endorsement of Prince Johnson, claimed 114,528 for 96.7 percent to CDC’s Tubman 3, 868.

Similarly, in Lofa where Boakai hails, the ruling party was also victorious. Of the 81, 614 voters, UP’s Sirleaf, thanks to Boakai, claimed 72, 309 of the votes to Tubman’s 6, 470.

Ahead of the 2017 Presidential elections, turnout will be crucial. However, it is widely believed that Liberia’s history of voting on tribal lines could see Boakai winning his home county of Lofa, Brumskine winning Bassa and Senator Prince Johnson clinching the bulk of the votes in Nimba as he did in the first round in 2011. Weah’s CDC had Montserrado locked in 2005 stuttered in 2011.

Of the 214, 690 votes tallied, Sirleaf’s UP won 190, 120 to CDC’s Tubman, 14, 571.  There are some pundits who counter that the dynamics were different because CDC boycotted the run-off.

It will interesting to see how those numbers add up in 2017. Those numbers pales in comparison to 2005 when the CDC dominated the county.

For the 2017 elections, Montserrado is expected to be up for grabs with several factors coming into play.

The emergence of Benoni Urey’s All Liberia and the multitude of competing political bases located in the capitol could split votes down the middle.

It could come down to the likes of Boakai (Lofa), Brumskine (Bassa) and Prince Johnson(Nimba) fighting for the edge in not just Montserado but the entire southeast where the CDC coalition could have advantage.