By J. Ebenezer Daygbor
Age is usually associated with wisdom and experience, but it appears Vice President Joseph Boakai is fast becoming a nemesis for his quest to become president of Liberia. A Liberian political party says the Vice President’s age is seemingly a turn-off, and that he is too old to assume the top position of the land.
Boakai is currently 74-year old. He is not alone above 70. Robert Mugabe is 93-year old, Jacob Zuma is 75 years of age, President Peter Mutharika of Malawi is 77-year old, Zimbabwean Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is already 74 years of age, and U.S President Donald Trump is 71-year old, to name a few.
But the chairman of the Liberian National Union (LINU), Nathaniel Blamah, says Veep Boakai is out of touch with the youthful generation of today. He says electing Boakai President of Liberia in “such contemporary time is adding burden to the already over burdened country…”
Mr. Blamah spoke over the weekend in Kakata, Margibi County where the Party held its primaries. According to him, Boakai has been in government’s circled for about 34 years and has not made any significant change, saying, it is a clear indication that his leadership will bring only old ideas and outdated methods to the country, the kind that plunged Liberia into 14 years of civil unrest and war.
The LINU is making a break with the Unity Party, which it joined in coalition in the 2005 general and presidential elections and elected Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. At the time LINU joined UP, Madam Sirleaf was already 67 years old.
Interestingly, the LINU Chairman hails from the same county as the vice president. The country needs youthful leader who understands today’s realities, Blamah asserted. He used France, a developed country that recently elected a 39-year old President, Emmanuel Marcon. He said, “Old age these days bring nothing but old ideas and weakness to the presidency…”
Under the watch of vice president, whom Blamah said worked closely with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the economic situation is now uncontrollable, the health and educational sectors of the country are still in ruin. He said the Vice President Boakai failed to provide any useful suggestions to the current administration, despite he is second in command.
The Liberian National Union conducted its 4th National Primary and produced 38 aspirants to contest on the party’s ticket in the 2017 Representatives and Presidential elections throughout the country.
Blamah says his party does not need crowd to take elective seats in the Liberian Legislature. He claims the crowds are rented and actual people who are qualified to vote in that electoral district are far from the scene.
