Top ally of President Joseph Boakai is forecasting his ruling Unity Party Alliance could lose political power in the 2029 general and Presidential elections to main rival Coalition for Democratic Change on account of appointed officials’ underwhelming performance.
UP narrowly defeated the CDC in the November 2023 vote to return to power after six years in opposition.
Now barely in office for two years, ex-Bomi County Senator Sando Johnson who spent about 18 years in the legislature alleges officials are undercutting governance issues and fixated with retaining jobs.
He told radio Punch FM that UP officials are undermining governance by prioritizing re-election efforts over delivering on government programs.
Johnson, a loyalist of jailed former President Charles Taylor who advises Boakai on legislative matters, criticized what he called “bad apples” within the Unity Party, accusing them of delaying full implementation of the country’s national development agenda focused on Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism.
Party officials influenced appointment to government service rather than the President, leaving him unfamiliar with more than 80 percent of those serving in his administration, he said.
“There are lots of things happening that should not happen at this point. If we don’t speak up, the Liberian people will hold us responsible, because we were the ones in the rain and sun ensuring President Boakai became President to rescue this country.”
Johnson warned that continued premature campaigning could endanger UP’s 2029 bid, arguing that straying from the party’s vision could lead to defeat. He compared the risk to the setback faced by the CDC in a recent electoral contest, suggesting that internal discontent already exists within the rescue alliance.
The former senator also took aim at Unity Party Chairman Luther Tarpeh, who recently described opposition parties other than the CDC as “helping verbs.”
Johnson called the remark unacceptable and divisive, saying the UP owes its 2023 victory to support from opposition partners, including former ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) members and other allies.
He urged UP officials in government to show more respect toward these colleagues and the broader opposition who contributed to Boakai’s campaign.
Johnson also cautioned UP leadership about the growing influence of new political movements, notably the Citizens’ Movement for Change (CMC) led by Musa Bility of Nimba County. He said both the CDC and the CMC are likely to be strong contenders in 2029, warning that the CMC’s momentum could reshape the race.
“The downtrodden masses are the ones carrying their message,” he noted, adding that he does not intend to join or support the CMC but believes their rise warrants attention.
