IPNEWS: Former Maryland County senator John A. Ballout jr. says he stands ready to contest the forthcoming Presidential and legislative elections in 2023 as a Presidential candidate to emancipate Liberia from cosmetic development, economic backwardness, and abject poverty
According to former Senator Ballout, Liberians were currently experiencing hardship at the hand of the Coalition for Democracy change lead-administration due to missed rules and lack of clear development agenda.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with IPNEWS at his Maryland Guest House in Sinkor, Monday, August 22, Senator Ballout said his desire to contest in the pending 2023 presidential elections is due to the failure of the opposition Collaboration Political Parties (CPP) to unite in a common front to redeem the country.
‘’ The question about if I want to be president or not will be address in a week or two from now. However, what I can say is that I am thinking Liberia and Liberian.”
” I have my time to run behind Amb. Joseph Boakia, Benoni Urey, and Mr. Alexander B. Cummings. I am just saying this today, in the coming few days, they will understand that there are more people in this country than just them. And the discussion will be elevated to the point to vote the consciousness into rethinking the strategies to unite the CPP. I am not thinking CDC, CPP rather I am thinking Liberia’’ senator Ballout explained.
The former Unity Party stalwart indicated that his dissatisfaction and disappointment in the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) continue to grow each day, due to how the opposition have dumped the hope and aspiration of the Liberian people who believe in them sorely and nothing has change as a way of coming together.
According to him, the CPP was much closure in achieving the presidency than some of them were but due to failure to put aside selfishness and greed, they’ve dumped the aspiration and ambition of the Liberian people therefore, there is nothing more remaining to be restore.
‘’ what I am hearing that now they are having agreements that we will approach this election independently and whose ever get to the runoff the other will support. I see that as serious political fun because I have not heard any political consensus more selfish than these. This thing about being friendly during runoff will be uncompromised, selfless, and patriotic and I do not see that happening now’’ he pointed out.
Former Senator Ballout explained that in any attempt for the country to go to a runoff, there were clear signs that opposition leaders would seek personal benefits than the future of the country.
Mr. Ballout believes that when the Unity Party, Alternative National Congress, and Liberty Party field candidates against each other rather than a united front against the CDC, they will be defeated massively as shown in the recently held Lofa senatorial by-elections.
He mentioned that the opposition must stop doing the same play game to get different results and realized that the CDC is not the Congress for Democracy Change but rather a coalition and they are not fielding candidates against each other.
” If they do that, what happened in Lofa County, in the hometown of Amb. Boakai will be repeated. After all, while it was shocking, it was not surprising because we know that UP lost. They refuse to put themselves together and reconcile’’ he concluded.
