–GOL Accuses Snowe Of Pushing For Boakai’s Failure, But Snowe Reacts
The Government of Liberia (GOL) has accused Bomi County Senator, Edwin Melvin Snowe, who is a member of the ECOWAS Parliament of making an irresponsible and inflammatory statement, and vowing to use his connections at the sub-regional body, ECOWAS, to ensure the failure of President Joseph Boakai’s administration.
A Ministry of Information press release said, “Mr. Snowe declared that he would ‘do everything possible including using his connections in ECOWAS to make the Boakai-led government to fail, even if it means discouraging foreign direct investment to Liberia and making the country ungovernable and unstable until he, Snowe, becomes President of Liberia’.”
The government informed Snowe and his likes that no citizen is licensed to undermine his/her own country and government by vowing to use ECOWAS internal institutions or other international organizations to either promote their selfish ambitions or plot destabilization.
The government then called on all sub-regional, regional and international organizations to ensure that such plan by Snowe and his collaborators to undermine and destabilize the Liberian government is not actualized.
However, Senator Edwin Snowe has, with deep concern and profound disappointment, swiftly responded to the allegation made by the Ministry of Information, and described it as entirely baseless, malicious and politically motivated.
According to the Bomi County Senator, the statement was issued while he was on official assignment in the Kingdom of Sweden as part of a mission of the ECOWAS Parliament. “The timing and content of this accusation are not only inappropriate, but also reflective of a disturbing and deliberate attempt to damage my reputation and cast aspersions on my integrity as a statesman, representative of the Liberian people and a responsible member of the opposition,” Snowe said.
“Let me state, unequivocally and for the record: I categorically reject and condemn these allegations as entirely baseless, malicious, and politically motivated. I wish to state, for the record, that at no point have I made any statement that could be interpreted as inciting panic, promoting instability, or threatening the democratic order of our country, neither have I leverage my networks in ECOWAS’ internal institutions or other international organizations to orchestrate destabilization of the Liberian Government.
“The irresponsible and reckless statement issued by the Government of Liberia amounts to nothing less than an implicit accusation of treason, one of the gravest charges under our Constitution that I do not take lightly. Such an accusation is not only wholly unfounded and defamatory but also constitutes a serious affront to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and the Constitutional safeguards that protect all citizens of our Republic.
“This act by the government further sets a dangerous and unacceptable precedent, one that threatens the very fabric of our democracy and the fundamental rights of every Liberian, particularly those who exercise their legitimate right to speak truth to power. It is increasingly evident that this development forms part of a calculated and malicious smear campaign, designed to discredit, intimidate, and silence me and other critical voices of the opposition in the national discourse.
“In view of this regrettable development, I have taken the difficult decision to terminate my participation in the ECOWAS Parliament mission and return home. I have formally communicated this matter to the Honorable Liberian Senate, registering my grave concerns over the implications of such unfounded accusations against my person and calling for a full-scale immediate, independent, and comprehensive investigation into this matter.
“I further call upon the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) and all of Liberia’s bilateral and multilateral partners to closely monitor this development and what appears to be an emerging pattern of political intimidation and persecution.
“I remain resolute in my commitment to the values of democracy, good governance, accountability, and the inalienable right of every Liberian to express themselves freely and without fear of retribution,” Senator Snowe noted.