GANTA, Nimba – Liberia’s vice president and presidential candidate for the ruling Unity Party, Joseph N. Boakai, has concluded his campaign tour of Nimba County at a well-attended rally held at the Ganta Kumasi Sports Field on Thursday, October 5.

The occasion was the third major gathering in Ganta within the last week, with the city having previously hosted the September 29 arrival of Sen. Prince Johnson and the campaign launch of Rep. Jeremiah Koung on September 30.

The city is expected to continue to be a political hotspot until the last day of campaigning on Sunday, as other political parties and candidates have scheduled activities.

Boakai flew via a helicopter to Tappita, Behwalley, and Buutuo, where he met with hundreds of supporters and other local officials before flying back to Ganta be a part of the rally.

Boakai, who was accompanied by his wife and executives of the party, paraded on a well-decorated trailer truck through the Ganta’s Main Street and concluded at the field. Thousands of supporters and the majority of the party’s executives were seen marching on foot along the parade route.

Nimba senator and the party’s national campaign chairperson, Thomas Grupee, made opening statements where he called on his kinsmen to make the right decision of voting for Boakai as the next president of Liberia. He urged them to be a part of history.

“We are not losers, we have not fought a losing battle and we can never fight a losing battle,” Grupee said. “Today, we have to be a part of history making in Liberia – and that we have to make this decision to make sure that Nimba County remains relevant in the political arena of Liberia – today I am calling on you to make your decision of electing Ambassador Boakai on October 10 so that I can have the opportunity to sit with the president and advocate on your behalf.”

Delivering his final campaign message to his supporters in Nimba, Boakai said he is appreciative of the people of Nimba.

Boakai named some of the many Nimba citizens who play key roles in Unity Party including National Chairman Wilmot Paye and the national chairman of the National Movement for Boakai, Nyan Mantan.  He said it was exciting that “in Nimba today, we have come again to terminate our campaign activities.”

Boakai jokingly told his supporters that his critics always say he is sleeping, “but let me tell you about some of the places we been sleeping.”

“The other day I was in the Southeast; I was sleeping in Grand Gedeh; I was sleeping in River Gee, I was sleeping in Maryland; I was sleeping in Grand Kru, then I came to Salayea and slept.”

He continued, “I left there, came and I went to River Cess and slept, from there into Grand Bassa and slept also. As soon as I came back, I went to Grand Cape Mount, from there to Gbarpolu, from there to Bomi, from there I went again to sleep in Margibi; from Margibi to Bong…and today I am in this great county of Nimba along just sleeping… today we are here to complete the dream from the sleeping, these people are not serious.”

Boakai said it is a joke for politicians and Liberians, in general, to attribute the backwardness of the country to the 14-year civil conflict and the 12-year rule of the Unity Party-led government of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

“If you take 14 years from 170; you have to tell me what you did with the 156 years,” he said “Even if you take out the Unity Party’s 12 years, you will tell me what happened to the 144, and that’s what we want to change and change it for the better.”

He said politicians must now stop thinking that they are going to “buy” or “steal” votes to ascend to positions they are vying for. He reassured scores of supporters that his major focus, when elected as the next president of Liberia, would be road connections.

“Liberia needs roads connection,” he said. “Once the roads are connected, the country is going to open up to everything.”

He also named agriculture, vocational and technical training as key components that will make up the running of his government.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah