MONROVIA – Matthew Nyanplu, leader of the Proposed Party for the People and a 2029 presidential hopeful, has strongly criticized the leadership of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, describing it as ineffective and self-serving. In a formal statement issued on February 13, 2025, Nyanplu accused the Unity Party-led government of failing the Liberian people, urging citizens to prepare for a political shift in the next presidential election.
According to Nyanplu, Boakai has lost the legitimacy to continue leading the nation, arguing that his recent actions are merely attempts to cover up his failures. He pointed to the government’s decision to compensate former Central Bank Governor Aloysius Tarlue with $374,000 following what he called an illegal dismissal, describing it as a costly mistake that highlights the administration’s disregard for the rule of law.
Nyanplu also accused President Boakai of interfering in the House of Representatives by allegedly orchestrating the removal of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa. He argued that the attempt failed and has left the country with what he termed “two speakers,” one legally elected and the other imposed by the administration. He further noted that the Supreme Court’s absence from Boakai’s 2025 State of the Nation Address was a direct snub of the president’s leadership, a move he believes reflects the judiciary’s discontent with the executive’s handling of national affairs.
The opposition leader did not hold back in his assessment of Boakai’s political experience, dismissing the president’s decades in government as unremarkable. He claimed that Boakai’s tenure under past administrations did not prepare him for effective leadership, instead leaving him without a clear vision for the country. Nyanplu alleged that Boakai’s governance has been riddled with corruption and nepotism, citing the controversial appointments at the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), where two members of the Ngafuan family hold top positions.
He also referenced the $244,000 painting contract scandal at the Ministry of Finance, in which Deputy Minister for Administration Bill McGill Jones was implicated. Nyanplu criticized the administration for failing to take punitive action, arguing that such incidents highlight the government’s tolerance for corruption. He accused the ruling establishment of using governance as a means for personal enrichment rather than serving the interests of the Liberian people.
Nyanplu asserted that many officials in Boakai’s administration had previously been deemed unfit for even junior ministerial positions under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. He described the current government as weak, lacking in leadership principles, and incapable of delivering meaningful change.
Asserting that Liberia has once again fallen into poor leadership, Nyanplu called on Liberians to lower their expectations under Boakai’s presidency. However, he expressed optimism that change is on the horizon, vowing that both the Unity Party and the Coalition for Democratic Change will be removed from power in 2029.
