Foreign Minister Speak Out on 2017 Elections

Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan said for the sake of winning elections, politicians he described as wolves will behave like sheep only to get votes in the 2017 elections, warning Liberians to remember that for the sake of winning elections, even a wolf can behave like a sheep and a leopard can produce pictures of himself/herself wearing a Colgate smile while hugging babies”, said Minister Ngafuan.

“Liberia needs leaders with solid track records of achievement for country; and certainly Liberia needs nationalistic, not a tribalistic or county-centric leaders”, Minister Ngafuan cautioned. The former Minister of Finance believes that the pending election is pregnant with untold challenges and Liberians will need honest leaders.

According to Minister Ngafuan individuals who do not like the ordinary Liberian people will visit some of the worse places in Monrovia-slums only to win votes. “For the sake of winning elections, individuals who have natural disdain for ordinary people will visit places like West Point, Sonniwein, Buzzi Quarters, etc in order to distribute largesse.

In short, for the sake of winning votes, desperate individuals will subject themselves to political plastic surgeries in order to mask their true characters. It should be the duty of the voter to unmask these masqueraders and see them for what they truly are”, the staunch Unity Party partisan said.

He wants Liberians to support aspirants with proven track record of integrity and patriotism to be elected in 2017. “Probably, as the Liberian voter goes to the polls in 2017 to elect a new President, I dare say the two most important qualities that the voter must be searching for in Presidential aspirants are the qualities of integrity and patriotism”, he suggests.

Minister Ngafuan observed that as simple as these qualities are, they are fast becoming scarce commodities in the Liberian political marketplace. The Minister who has been serving the current government in various capacities including Minister of Finance said Liberia needs competent leaders as reflected in educational or professional preparation.

According to him, Liberia will need most are honest leaders with unshakable and undying love for country; leaders who will place the interest of country first and foremost; and above all, leaders who have the moral strength to choose to lose political elections instead of compromising their core values and stabbing the interest of Mama Liberia”.

Vice President Joseph Boakai is the only candidate so far who has openly declared that he will be contesting the presidency come 2017. Prior to the disclosure by Vice President Boakai, President Sirleaf was tightlipped on her succession plan leaving room for speculations that other senior members of the ruling Unity Party including Foreign Minister Augustine Ngafuan, Finance Minister Amara Konneh, Togar McIntosh and others were nurturing Presidential ambition.

So far several names are surfacing ahead of the 2017 election with Businessman Benoni Urey, Central bank of Liberia Governor, J. Mills Jones, Nimba County Senator, Prince Y. Johnson, George Weah of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change, amongst others all said to be contemplating contesting for the presidency.