IPNEWS – As the rhetoric of political campaign heightens in the country, former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who is the standard bearer of Unity Party, has likened President George Manneh Weah to Barabbas, the criminal.
Appearing as a guest on “State of the Nation,” a flagship program aired on Truth FM 96.1, Veep Boakai told the public that following the announcement of the 2017 elections results, he and his supporters felt cheated and was even advised Mr. Benoni Urey to deploy 15,000 young people in the streets. According to him, he refused on grounds that the people of Liberia had the opportunity to choose between Jesus and Barabbas and so they chose Barabbas, the criminal, over Jesus. Efforts to reach Mr. Urey concerning the former VP’s allegation, proved futile.
Speaking further, VP Boakai said Barrabas in this sense refers to President Weah because his leadership has exhibited the worst forms of corruption with the construction of “mansions” overnight.
The story of Barabbas is told in the Bible book of Matthew 27:16. When Barabbas, a criminal, was on the brink of his execution, he was set free by the Jewish officials and people. They were given the choice to choose between Jesus Christ and Barabbas; they responded to retain Barabbas and execute innocent Jesus.
Amb. Boakai indicated that five years down the line, “I know they are convinced that the kind of leadership they have today can speak of itself in six years.”
Responding to a question about the configuration of his campaign team not being gender sensitive and balanced, Mr. Boakai noted that the Unity Party is in alliance with other political parties and they jointly configured the campaign team, therefore he should not be judged by that because it was not done by him alone.
Elaborating on the Unity Party’s AREST policy, Amb. Boakai informed the public that AREST speaks to what the party intends to do upon taking over the leadership of Liberia. For example, Agriculture, Roads, Economy Sanitation and Tourism will be tackled to provide jobs for young people.
The former Vice President, who has been criticized by his opponents as being a “squanderer in chief,” noted that the bad roads in the country, will receive immediate and adequate intervention to ensure that they are pliable in his first 100 days in office.
On the question as to why he could not influence the Senate to push the idea of roads since he was so passionate about roads, in the country, the Unity Party Standard Bearer intimated that he tried to but to avail. According to him, as “President” of the Senate, there was nothing more he could do to influence the senators’ decision on issues that were intended for their input as compared to him.
He refuted claims that he didn’t do anything in 12 years as Vice President to influence President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s decisions on some of the things he Amb. Boakai wanted to see implemented during their 12-year tenure.
He cited few instances where he tried to influence a policy decision relative to leveling a charge on petroleum for roads maintenance and that was never adhered to by former President Sirleaf.
He said he sees no reason why he will be Vice President and the road to his home is not paved and the most laughable thing was that during the groundbreaking of the Lofa County road, President Sirleaf invited George Weah, who was then a Senator, this how powerful the president is,” he retorted.
Response to Weah’s “Joseph, the Sleeper” Rants?
It’s not clear whether the former Vice President’s description of President Weah is a late response to the President’s rants against him when he (Weah) addressed his supporters at a “Thank You Rally” on July 17, 2023.
In a provocative statement made during the “Thank You Rally” organized by the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), President Weah targeted former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, labeling him as the “Joseph, who squandered opportunities during his time in national government.”
Speaking before hundreds of CDC’s partisans at the party’s headquarters in Congotown on Monday, July 17, President Weah drew a biblical analogy to distinguish between two types of Josephs. He referred to himself as “Joseph the Dreamer,” alluding to the biblical Joseph, Jacob’s son, who was sold into slavery in Egypt at the age of 17.
In contrast, he labeled Boakai as “Joseph the Sleeper,” suggesting that the former VP had failed to make the most of his chances.
President Weah highlighted Boakai’s admission of the Unity Party squandering opportunities when it ruled for 12 unbroken years, asserting that the former VP had served as the Agriculture Minister in the past but failed to deliver meaningful benefits to the Liberian people.
Weah emphasized that during Boakai’s 12 years as Vice President, he did nothing substantial and even confessed to being inactive like an race car parked in a garage.
The leader of the CDC further criticized his primary rival in the October 10, 2023 Presidential election, Boakai, who currently serves as the political leader of the opposition Unity Party (UP), accusing him of accomplishing nothing for the Liberian people.
Weah claimed that Boakai was desperately advising citizens to vote against the ruling coalition, urging voters to deprive themselves of opportunities for progress and development.
President Weah’s remarks came during a politically charged event aimed at expressing gratitude to his supporters.
Seykajipo Amegashie writes; with additional writing by Alaskai Moore Johnson
