“DISINGENUOUS” – JNB TACT TEAM TERMS GBOWEE’S OUTBURST AGAINST UP’S BOAKAI
It can be recalled, Gbowee took to social media calling on the Unity Party to according to her, “Do the right thing” by allowing JNB to retire from politics and concentrate on his health.
Excerpt from her post: Dear unity party officials – including my aunty Dabah Varpilah
In the interest of peace, development, and the future of Liberia, I would like to ask you all to kindly allow uncle Joe Boakai to retire from politics and focus on his health. He deserves to spend his golden years interacting with his grandkids and enjoying family time.
I would also like to take this time to ask you all to reconsider your partnership with other political parties and form a merger that will provide a viable political option for the Liberian people.
The writings are on the wall; my uncle Joe is in no position to contest them! Uncle Joe, please be well—I pray god’s blessings upon you.
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!!!!
Best,
Leymah R. Gbowee
2011
Nobel peace prize winner
But, the JNB Tact Team, in a statement issued Monday 16 January 2023, under the signature of its National Chairperson Telia Urey lamented that it was appalled by Gbowee’s recent assertions, asking ex-Vice President Boakai to step aside from politics due to his health and age.
Madam Urey noted that the Tact Team finds such a statement disingenuous, emanating from a woman who is supposed to symbolize peace, dignity, and unity.
“We advise Madame Gbowee to find a more dignified way to express herself without flagrant and unnecessary disrespect to the former Vice President,” the Tact Team warned.
The JNB Tact Team admonished Gbowee, a social worker and an advocate of peace that if she would like to enter politics in Liberia and position herself as a serious political actor, she should rather focus on the myriad of issues the country is currently faced with instead of attacking Joe Boakai, whom the group referred to as a reputable statesman, just to get attention and media coverage.
“We are well aware that Madame Gbowee is doing the political bidding for a certain opposition figure whose chances of winning the presidency are close to zero,” said Madam Urey, who in the Tact Team’s statement said her group was using the occasion to warn the Nobel Laureate to immediately desist from what she (Telia) described as deceptive antics that have the propensity to destroy her (Gbowee’s) image.
“We would also like to draw the public’s attention to Madame Gbowee’s silence on the rampant killings and violence that the country has been faced with over the years under the George Weah-led government,” Telia emphasized, adding that it baffles the Tact Team and many other Liberians why Gbowee has not used her voice to champion these causes, considering her claimed position as a “voice of reason.”
The Tact Team stated that Madame Gbowee’s attention should instead also be drawn to the numerous rape cases and attacks on women in politics in Liberia over the past years under the Weah administration.
“Her silence on these attacks and the overall violence against women should be of deep concern to the world. Sadly, we hear her loudly today launching political attacks on national leaders and doing the usual “politicking,” the Tact Team added.
The JNB Tact Team pointed out that to strengthen the advocacy for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court for Liberia, a voice as strong as Gbowee’s is needed, adding that there is a need for the former Peace Ambassador to raise her voice on grave issues threatening the peace of the country instead of playing politics with the health of former Vice President Boakai.
“Leymah Gbowee should be reminded that age is not a curse, for which one should be excluded from leadership, but it is a source of experience and wisdom needed to govern a nation like Liberia in these critical times,” the JNB Tact Team averred.
CATEGORIES Politics
