Monrovia– Liberians will go to the polls five years from now, in 2029 to elect a new president (new government) or retain the incumbent. The pending faraway election is consistent with the Liberian constitution which calls for election after every six years. President Joseph Boakai is just one year and almost two months in office, but echoes of 2029, in terms of what would happen, who will be the next president and become representatives, are beginning to reverberate.
Apparently fearing the possibility of his officials using their present positions to market themselves for 2029 and implicitly undermine his agenda, President Boakai did not hold back his sentiments during last week’s cabinet meeting at the Executive Mansion.
“If your focus is on 2029, you may respectfully resign. My priority is serving the Liberian people—right now… The time for talk is over, President Boakai warned.
Though not a wordy and lengthy statement of warning, it was rather a succinct and laconic remonstrance that underscored the President’s determination to kick out any official with potential 2029 ambition. But does the cap fit in actuality?
President Boakai’s razor-thin victory over then incumbent President George Weah was said to be spurred by the barrage of alliances with other mushroom political parties and independent candidates who fell below the required percentage to be in the run-off elections.
The President strategically rewarded most of the allies with key positions in his government, some of whom may be watching 2029 with keen interest and eagle eyes, quietly putting their house order and setting the stage gradually.
The fact that there is no clear cut certainty that the President, who will be 85 years old by 2029, will be on the ticket of the Unity Party, makes it much more compelling for other officials to put themselves forward.
Madam Macdella Cooper, Political advisor to the President is the political leader of the One Liberia Movement and former presidential candidate in the just-ended elections.
A firebrand politician, Cooper’s presidential ambition dates as far back as 2017, and there is likelihood that she might take advantage of the openness of the field by putting her forward to the Liberian people once more.
Vice President Jeremiah Koung, undoubtedly is seen as successor to President Boakai, though there still remains technicality of party politics. He came to the present position on the back of the alliance between the Unity Party and the Movement for Democratic Reconciliation (MDR), founded by the Senator and Political god-father of Nimba County, Prince Y. Johnson.
Considering that Koung remains a member of the MDR to date appears to be make a difficult for the UP to go with him as their candidate in 2029 in case President Boakai is indisposed.
Augustine Kpehe Ngarfuan is one official of government that is not out of considering when it comes to the presidency.
His initial attempt to market himself to the Liberian people did not materialize in 2017 due to several glitches. It was widely rumored that he was eyeing the presidency on the ticket of the UP, of which he is staunch member.
However, it was gathered that the desire of President Boakai, then former vice president, to run on the UP ticket threatened Ngarfuan’ chances, simply he (Ngafuan) did not want to disrespect his uncle (President Boakai) who and him hail from Lofa County, a traditional county.
Still pushed by his ambition to contest for President, Ngarfuan who resigned his position as Foreign Minister to honor the Code of Conduct, joined ranks with the Victory for Change Party of Cllr. Marcus Jones.
That too did not work well with him, thus his ambition to be on the presidential ticket came to an end. It is unclear if the current Finance and Development Planning Minister will still want to throw his hat in the race in 2029. However, it is clear President Boakai is cognizant of how Ngarfuan wanted to run for president in time past.
Sara Beyslow Nyanti occupies the strategic Minister of Foreign Affairs position, the third female in the position in post-war Liberian democratic governance.
She put herself forward in 2023 to become president but failed to get the needed support to ascend to the highest office of the land. Eventually, she aligned and gave support to candidate Boakai’s candidacy against incumbent President Weah.
Madam Nyanti remains a revered female politician and one of President Boakai’s outstanding officials doing remarkably well on the international stage, courageously making the country’s case and the President agenda.
With the hovering fluidity about 2029 in terms of the President’s chances, no doubt the 2023 presidential flunkies might want to put flesh on their political bones once more.
Mr. Edward Appleton represented the Grassroots Development Movement (GDM) is its candidate for president in the 2023 elections and finished third. Appleton obtained forty thousand two hundred seventy-one (40, 271 votes) constituting 2.20% of the total vote count.
He is one of Boakai officials, representing the country as Ambassador to Japan.
Whether he still harbors presidential ambition remains only to him and closed allies, but it is obvious the strength he showed could serve as motivating factor to push further in 2029.
While some of them might be talking 2029 in their corners, President Boakai believes the time is not now as his focus is to reposition the country and better the lives of Liberians.
The best they can do for themselves, as per the president’s warning, is to call it a quit, and being the president did not call names, who the cap fits should not hesitate to wear it now.
