–Former Ruling Unity Party Officials, Partisans Cautioned
–As Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee Comes Under Bombardment
IPNEWS: On Monday, January 16, 2023, Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, apparently having heard that former Vice President and the Political Leader and Standard Bearer of the former ruling Unity Party, Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, was hospitalized at ELWA hospital in Paynesville in relation to his health issue, she chose to do a missive to officials of the UP cautioning them to allow the former Vice President to retire from politics and focus on his health.
Few days ago, the former ruling Unity Party disclosed that its Standard Bearer and Political Leader, Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, had checked into a local hospital – ELWA – to do precautionary observation on his health, after rumors broke out that the former Vice President had been hospitalized.
After few days at the ELWA hospital in Paynesville, along the Roberts International Airport (RIA), the former Vice President was discharged.
In her missive to the former governing party officials, the prominent Nobel Laureate, urged the political institution “to do the right to kindly allow Uncle Joe Boakai to retire from politics and focus on his health.”
Nobel laureate Gbowee in her missive to the Unity Party which comes in the form of an advice and posted on her official social media page wrote and said:
“Dear Unity Party Officials – including my aunty Dabah Varpilah.
In the interest of peace, development, and the future of Liberia, I would like to ask you all to kindly allow uncle Joe Boakai to retire from politics and focus on his health. He deserves to spend his golden years interacting with his grandkids, enjoying family time.
I would also like to take this time to ask you all to reconsider your partnership with other political parties and form a merger that will provide a viable political option for the Liberian people.
The writings are on the wall; my uncle Joe is in no position to contest! Uncle Joe, please be well—I pray God’s blessings upon you.
Dear Unity Party, Liberia’s political future, and interest lie and rest squarely in your hands! It is high time we put egos aside and put Liberia and her interest first!
Do the right thing!!!!
Best,
Leymah r. Gbowee
2011 Nobel peace prize winner”
Tact Team’s Response to Leymah Gbowee’s Statement. Please Share!
Few hours after Madam Gbowee’s advice to the UP was posted on her social media page, a group from the Unity Party standard bearer and political leader camp known as ‘The JNB Tact Team’ under the leadership of former Montserrado County District #15 Representative candidate, Telia Urey of the All Liberian Party (ALP) responded to Gbowee’s missive.
Ms. Telia Urey is named as National Chairperson of The JNB Tact Team.
In their reaction, The JNB Tact Team stated it is appalled by the recent statement made by Leymah Gbowee, asking Vice President Joseph Boakai to step aside from politics due to his health and age. “We find the statement to be very disingenuous, coming from a woman who is supposed to be a symbol of peace, dignity, and unity. We advise Madame Gbowee to find a more dignified way to express herself without flagrant and unnecessary disrespect to the former Vice President.”
The JNB Tact Team stated further, “We would like to admonish Leymah Gbowee that if she would like to enter the political space in the country and position herself as a serious political actor, she should focus on the myriad of issues that the country is currently faced with instead of attacking a reputable statesman to get attention and media coverage.”
The JNB Tact Team then accused the Nobel Laureate of bidding politically for an opposition politician whose name it failed to mention, but warned her to desist. “We are well aware that Madame Gbowee is doing the political bidding for a certain opposition figure whose chances of winning the presidency are close to zero. We use this medium to warn her to immediately desist from these deceptive antics that have the propensity to destroy her image.”
Commenting further, The JNB Tact Team wondered why Madam Gbowee has not used her voice to speak against violence and rampant killings Liberia has faced over the years under the George Weah-led government, but has chosen to remain silent and not champion these causes, considering her claimed position as a “voice of reason.”
The JNB Tact Team further noted, “Madame Gbowee’s attention should instead also be drawn to the numerous rape cases and attacks on women in politics in the country over the past years under the Weah administration. Her silence on these attacks and the overall violence against women should be of deep concern to the world. Sadly, we hear her loudly today launching political attacks on national leaders and doing the usual “politicking”.
Furthermore, the Tact Team’s statement averred that instead of playing politics with the health of former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, the advocacy for War and Economic Crimes in Liberia could use a strong voice like Leymah Gbowee to strengthen its call. “As an ambassador of peace, we would like to call Madam Gbowee to raise her voice on these grave issues that threaten the peace of the country.”
Commenting on the health issues and leadership ability of their Standard Bearer and Political Leader, the Tact Team cautioned: “Leymah Gbowee should be reminded that age is not a curse, for which one should be excluded from leadership, but it is a source of experience and wisdom needed to govern a nation like Liberia in these critical times. We find it very hypocritical that people like Leymah Gbowee will celebrate the election of Joe Biden and other leaders who are older than Ambassador Boakai, but will talk down to their own, who has been an honest and dedicated public servant his entire life.”
The JNB Tact Team then reminded Madam Gbowee that their leader has been the spearhead for the formation of the four political parties that came together under the banner of the Collaborating Political Parties. “We will also like to remind Leymah Gbowee that Ambassador Boakai has been the lead proponent for opposition unity. He spearheaded the formation of the CPP and has been the voice of reason within the opposition community. Should Madam Gbowee want to join these efforts to unite opposition, we suggest she comes out and states her political interest and intentions.”
Concluding, The JNB Tact Team reminded the harsh realities the country is going through under the current regime of President Weah, cautioning, “Our country is reeling the backlashes of bad governance and is at the brink of being a pariah state under this Government. We need serious leadership and not the usual politics to free the country from this kleptocratic regime. His Excellency, Joseph Nyuma Boakai will deliver this change and we welcome Madame Leymah Gbowee to join ranks in this quest to save our country.”
A response to my Niece, Leymah Gbowee
On her part, a staunch Unity Party partisan, Dabah Varpiliah, who once vied for a Senatorial seat in Grand Cape Mount County under the banner of the CPP, and who is an Aunty to Madam Leymah Gbowee, added her voice in reacting to the candid advice proffered by the Nobel Laureate.
Mrs. Varpilah in a response to Madam Gbowee writes:
“Dear Leymah,
I read your letter addressed to officials of the Unity Party including me, dated January 16, 2023, via Facebook.
I am constrained to respond to you on Facebook knowing that you have never been inaccessible to me as I have never been in like manner. But I have to do this because you have chosen this medium to communicate your view on a matter you know little about and definitely seems you don’t care to know.
Regarding your Uncle Joe Boakai’s health, our values dictate that we are to empathize and wish well to those who are down and often give helping hands. But without reaching out to your Uncle Joe and not knowing much about his health status, you have taken upon yourself the role of a medical doctor to pronounce him as not being in the “position to contest” and proposing a “political merger” for the sole purpose of winning an election. This, I believe is a well thought through political move which doesn’t represent the purpose of “peace and development” as indicated by your post.
Your uncle Joe Boakai, like any human being, was sick, taken to the hospital as it is normally done when one falls sick and he is now well, discharged from the hospital, and home with his family awaiting full recovery. I believe that he looks forward to a niece’s call or visit from you, whenever you are back in the country and other well-wishers.
Regarding your proposal for a political merger, please note that mergers are not the only way to do politics in 2023. There are collaborations and endorsements. The Unity Party is currently collaborating and remains engaged with several other political parties and individuals, some of whom have publicly declared support for your Uncle Joe’s presidential bid ahead of the October polls. We are in several of these political arrangements and look forward to the full inclusion of every other Liberian who believes that President George Weah is both a political and a democratic error that must not be repeated in October. The Unity Party is fully cognizant of its role and responsibility in rescuing this Country from what is a total collapse under the CDC regime and will No nothing to disappoint our people.
Thank you.
Your aunty,
Dabah Varpiliah”
Up to press time, there was no further response or reaction from Nobel Laureate Gbowee regarding the reactions to her missive to officials of the Unity Party, calling on them to allow the former Vice President retire from politics and focus on his health having been hospitalized during the course of last week.
Mixed Reactions to Nobel Laureate Gbowee’s Candid Advice
Meanwhile, there are mixed reactions to the Nobel laureate Gbowee’s candid advice to folks of the Unity Party. For those who believe in their political leader and standard bearer, Joseph Boakai, he is strong and fit to lead Liberia if elected as President in the 2023 election.
But for those on the side of the political divide, former Vice President Joseph Boakai at 78 years needs to call it a day after 42 years plus of public service. There are those who believe that the former Vice President is being coerced against his will by selfish and self-interest seeking partisans to vie for the presidency, but knowing within himself, his current health condition may not permit.
It remains to been what decision the former Vice President will make in his own interest taking into consideration his present health condition which seems not to be favorable following his hospitalization at the ELWA hospital.
It is not also known whether Amb. Boakai’s family will pressure him to retire from politics due to his current situation.
Political Pundits, Ordinary Liberians Weigh in on Gbowee’s Advice to UP
As the political rigmarole ahead of the October 2023 continues unabated, political pundits have called on Unity Party partisans to reflect with sober minds and take in good faith Gbowee’s candid advice instead of ‘shooting the messenger’ who simply delivered a missive that no partisan of the former ruling party is sincere enough to deliver to their standard bearer.
For the pundits, Gbowee was just saying something honestly from her heart taking into consideration what goes on with Africans in the latter stages of their lives, especially when they are approaching their 80s. “I don’t think Leymah means any harm for Boakai, but rather she wants him to enjoy his old age, where he will have time with his grand kids and enjoy his golden age,” a political commentator told IPNEWS.
