By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
What appears to be a gradual political and human capital disintegration is fracturing the Unity Party in these latter days of the Party’s quest to regain the Executive Mansion during the October 10th representatives and presidential elections. Key members of the Party are jumping ship as others go at each other’s throat.
It all began with the resignation of key executive members, including Musa Hassan Bility, Harrison Karnwea, Ambassador Jeremiah Sulunteh, and lately Secretary General of the governing Unity Party, Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe who called it quit from the ruling Unity Party.
Liberians are beginning to wonder whether or not the Party truly represents the meaning of its name – unity. Dissentions, disharmony and animosity continue to rife the Party, with no immediate visible steps taken by the Party’s leadership to salvage the situation.
Our Monrovia Correspondent is reporting that the National Campaign Manager of the Joseph Boakai-for-President campaign, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, and Party National Chairman Wilmot Paye are said to be on “no speaking” terms, let alone the two officials sharing ideas to advance the party’s agenda for Boakai.
The two ranking officials of the Unity Party that are expected to work together closely to ensure victory for their standard-bearer, Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, seem to be at each other’s throat, with each refusing to share notes with other.
Insiders say the former Finance and Foreign Minister, Ngafuan, who also served as campaign spokesman during the 2005 elections that brought President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the executive mansion and now chairing the Boakai campaign management, has claimed that he has a wealth of experience in political campaign. He wants the Party Chair, Paye to play his role and leave the campaign management of Boakai’s presidential bid with him.
But our inside sources have hinted that Chairman Pay is arguing that he’s the head of the Party and that every step along the way he should be consulted to afford the opportunity to make an import before decisions made are put out into the public domain. The situation has created a rift, so are their followers within the party.
Also another factor that is derailing Boakai’s campaign is that the party is also experiencing another kind of division engendered by personality clashes between former party chairman, Grand Cape Mount Senator Varney Sherman and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The Sherman divide is headed by Chairman Paye, while the President Sirleaf faction is reportedly headed by Ngafuan.
Meanwhile, when Chairman Paye was contacted via mobile phone on several occasions Tuesday, August 22nd, his phone rang endlessly.
Bu when the Press and Public Affairs Director of the Party was contacted, he denied there is rift in the Party, terming it as mere gossips that lacks the basis true. The public affairs office claims the two are having great working relationship, and that it was Paye who recommended Ngafuan for campaign manager post.
