- Leymah Gbowee urges UP
2011 Nobel Laureate Ms. Leymah Gbowee has urged former Vice President Joseph Boakai to retire from politics to focus on his health and grandchildren, saying Unity Party should do the right thing.
"The writings are on the wall; my Uncle Joe is in no position to contest! Uncle Joe, please be well--I pray god's blessings upon you." Ms. Gbowee wrote.
Amb. Boakai was recently rushed to the ELWA hospital where he spent few days seeking medical attention. His party said he reportedly checked in at the hospital on Sunday, January 8, 2023, for precautionary observation after he felt minor fever. But critics say, the octogenarian former vice president may have suffered a minor stroke.
But Ms. Gbowee said Boakai's retirement from active politics would be in the interest of peace, development, and future of Liberia, though she did not explain what she meant.
In her open letter to the former ruling Unity Party, Ms. Gbowee, Founder and President of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa, based in Monrovia said the former Vice President deserves to spend his golden years interacting with his grandkids, enjoying family time.
The peace advocate further called on the former ruling Unity Party to reconsider partnering with other political parties to form a merger that will provide a viable political option for the Liberian people.
She concluded by saying "Dear Unity Party, Liberia's political future, and interest lie and rest squarely in your hands! It is high time we put egos aside and put Liberia and her interest first! Do the right thing!!!!"
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However, responding to Ms. Gbowee, Unity Party former Secretary General Mo Ali raised several questions saying "when last Laymah visited Amb. Joseph N. Boakai to know his health status?"
"Has JNB doctors told her that he (JNB) is sick and is now incapacitated to run for President or lead a country?" Mr. Ali queried.
Mo Ali said he is very sure that Laymah has never visited JNB in the last 3 years, least to talk about going to see him recently.
"We are aware that Laymah is politically active and supports another political party," he said, adding "She understands JNB is the only person who has a realistic chance of defeating George Weah and the CDC. So, by writing trash and craps about JNB's health in her mind would dwindle the chances of JNB and up her candidate's."
"We have never seen Laymah Gbowee in the medical field. We don't know her to be one of those closest to JNB. On what basis she assessed the health status of JNB? Laymah should be using her status in society to conduct civic education teaching Liberians the importance of voting. But again, when people lose their essence, they don't know what to write or say again." Mo Ali said speaking in his capacity as a UP partisan.
