By Olando Testimony Zeongar
MONROVIA – Amid imminent fallout over dissatisfaction regarding the processes leading to the vice presidential running-mate pick for the main opposition Unity Party, former Senate President Pro Tempore and Chairman of the political action group in support of Unity Party’s standard bearer, Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s presidential bid, the National Alliance for JNB (NAJNB), Mr. Armah Zolu Jallah, has made the call for the UP standard bearer to take the lead in fostering unity within the conspicuously fragmented opposition bloc.
Several opposition institutions and figures including Liberty Party’s embattled political leader, Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence; loquacious talk radio presenter, Henry Costa; and the political leader of the All Liberian Party (ALP), Benoni Urey along with scores of partisans and supporters of the ALP, who until last Friday were avowed supporters of Boakai, are aggrieved over what sources referred to as the bias processes leading to the UP standard bearer’s decision to have picked Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung, as his vice presidential running-mate for the 10 October 2023 presidential election.
One source divulged that Senator Karnga-Lawrence and Costa, who is a member of Urey’s ALP, are peeved over Koung’s selection over Costa and Karnga-Lawrence, both of whom were on a shortlist of individuals being scouted to serve as vice presidential running-mate to Boakai.
Another source among others, narrated that the pair and their various supporters in the opposition bloc, are particularly dissatisfied because they and their political institutions have long supported the UP standard bearer, and were of the expectation that Boakai would have either picked one of the two rather than Koung, who quite recently pledged support to the presidential bid of JNB.
Howbeit, an influential opposition figure, former Pro-Temp Jallah, is calling on UP standard bearer Boakai, to take the lead in extending an olive branch to those aggrieved over the processes leading to his running-mate pick.
Jallah told Smart News Liberia Thursday that to unseat the George Weah administration which he accused of indulging in rampant corruption and bad governance, the opposition bloc needs to do so in an unified fashion, with all hands on deck.
Regardless of the squabble currently obtaining within the opposition bloc, largely stemming from dissatisfaction over last Friday’s running-mate pronouncement ceremony, Jallah is of the belief that if Boakai takes the lead in fostering unity, the aggrieved individuals would forgo their egos in the interest of the greater good of their country.
He called on those aggrieved in the opposition bloc not to make any rash decision as to swaying their support away from Boakai, who he described as forerunner and presumptive winner of the impending presidential election slated for later this year on 10 October, adding that doing so would make it easier for the incumbent, President Weah to win reelection, which he believes would be disastrous for Liberia.
He pleaded with the aggrieved parties to look at what he called the greater picture, and hold together as members of the opposition bloc, to oust the Weah’s regime at the ballot box, so as to give Liberia and Liberians a better future under a Joe Boakai presidency.
Meanwhile, former Senate President Pro Tempore Jallah has volunteered to serve on a special committee, if set up by UP’s Boakai, to play a conciliatory role between the aggrieved individuals and all others concerned, including the Unity Party, which some of the aggrieved are reportedly blaming for proceeding wrongly against the spirit of opposition unity.
