In the latest occurrences, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai, a notable candidate for the Liberian Presidency with the opposition Unity Party (UP), has demonstrated his commitment to ethical conduct by declining a substantial sum of $30 million provided by specific campaign sponsors. The financiers, whose intentions seemed to contradict the welfare of Liberia and its populace, presented a proposition that Ambassador Boakai deemed unsatisfactory.
In the current political climate of Liberia, there is a prevalent issue of excessive expenditure and the misappropriation of public funds by the ruling CDC government. This has led to the creation of extravagant billboards and the procurement of a significant number of vehicles. Reports indicate that the ruling CDC Party has allocated a substantial campaign budget of $50 million. Consequently, the situation for ordinary Liberians continues to be extremely challenging. The non-payment of civil servants for an extended period of time and the insufficient availability of important medications, vital supplies, and equipment in public hospitals have raised issues regarding resource distribution.
It was anticipated that the financial limitations encountered by the opposition Unity Party in the present campaign period could potentially prompt its leader, Joseph Boakai, to contemplate entering into an agreement with compromised campaign funders who are giving a significant sum of $30 million.
Henry Pedro Costa, a Liberian talk show host, made claims asserting that Joseph Boakai had participated in dialogues with prospective sponsors for his political campaign.
Costa claimed that these financiers imposed two conditions: first, that Joseph Boakai accept Henry Costa as his Unity Party vice presidential candidate, and second, that he submits to the sale of Mount Wologisi in exchange for $30 million. Costa explained how he became involved in the process, disclosing that business magnates offered him [Costa] $30 million to run for office. Costa directed these businessmen to Joseph Boakai, contingent upon his selection as Boakai’s running companion, due to his strong support for Boakai at the time. Costa claimed that Boakai had marginalized and derided him in front of his investors, a claim that Boakai’s team denied vehemently.
During the undisclosed financiers’ meeting, it has been reported that the son of Standard Bearer Joseph Boakai was in attendance. In the meeting, Standard Bearer Boakai reportedly expressed surprise at the conditions imposed by these financiers, which were contingent upon the selection of Costa as his running mate and the sale of Mount Wologisi for a sum of $30 million. Boakai demonstrated a notable choice by declining the $30 million proposal, much to the astonishment of the financial backers.
The son, according to a credible source who was in the know of the meeting, expressed agreement with Boakai’s position, asserting that his father’s decision not to choose Costa as his running mate and not to sell the nation’s resources to the detriment of Liberia and its populace was in the best interest of the country and Liberia as a whole.
Alonka Benedictus, a political analyst, commended the honesty of Boakai, highlighting the infrequency with which African leaders decline substantial financial offers, especially when such actions may have adverse effects on their nation’s resources. Benedictus lauded Joseph Boakai as a paragon of honesty and exemplar of leadership that serves as a model for leaders throughout the African continent.
In contrast, an undisclosed high-ranking official from the CDC, as per their request for anonymity, posited that the narrative surrounding the involvement of campaign financiers was a strategic maneuver devised by the governing CDC. This said plot supposedly involved Costa, who was purportedly enticed with a bribe of $50,000 to ensnare Boakai. The refusal of all proposed offers to Boakai has raised concerns about the credibility of the scheme, causing disappointment for both the CDC and Costa.
Given the recent charges of misconduct concerning politicians, which encompass suspicions of bribery, it is imperative to recognize Joseph Boakai’s ethical choice to decline the $30 million proposition. The authenticity of the offer, whether it was sincere or a kind of entrapment, does not undermine Boakai’s unwavering integrity and trustworthiness. His character serves as a compelling example of ethical leadership.
