The Secretary General of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Jefferson Tamba Koijee, has accused President Joseph Nyuma Boakai of “haunting the life of ex-President George M. Weah” by ordering the deployment of army personnel at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) during the arrival of the former President.
Koijee made the accusation at a press conference on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at the CDC headquarters, Congo Town.
It can be recalled that during the arrival of former President Weah at the RIA recently, well-armed officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) were deployed at the premises on claims that CDCians had threatened to burn the place if Weah was not allowed to use the VIP Lounge.
The unusual presence of army men and women has since raised the concerns of many citizens across the country, including members of the CDC and the 55th National Legislature.
However, the Chief Scribe of the CDC, Koijee, accused President Boakai and his Unity Party (UP) administration of running the army on a tribal line. “The Chief of Staff is a Kissi, and that’s why President Boakai appointed a Kissi person—he has ‘tribalized’ the army,” Koijee asserted.
Koijee termed the huge presence of AFL and LNP personnel at the RIA as troubling for the peace and stability of the country, adding that Liberia has a dark history, especially when a particular tribe dominates the army.
According to him, there is no political party that has invested more in sustaining the peace of the country than the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). “President Boakai has continued to undermine the peace of this country since the inception of his regime, and the international community needs to be aware of this threat posed to the life of our standard bearer who is a peaceful man,” he claimed.
The CDC Secretary General argued that the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) cannot, and should not, be subjected to tribal operations under the UP administration. “If it was wrong yesterday, it is wrong today,” he stated.
He claimed that several army officials were selected and appointed by the President based on tribal line, which he believes is suppressing the professional and neutral operations of the country’s first line of national defense.
Koijee emphasized that, despite the presence of some good men and women in the army, many have been reduced to a personal defense force by the Liberian Chief Executive. “This is an utter provocation and wanton misuse of power; the army is now working as a private security force under the instructions of President Boakai,” he alleged. He further alleged that President Boakai is fast declining the peace of the country, urging him to focus on solving the problems of the Liberian people. “The CDC will not negotiate its safety in the country under this regime,” he stated.
He described the deployment of the armed officers as a calculated attempt to harm the former President, thus questioning the reason behind instructing the army to leave the barracks to be deployed at the Roberts International Airport amid the arrival of the former president.
“Let it be known that the safety of former President Weah is in the hands of President Boakai, and I call on the international community to be alerted that the safety of Ambassador Weah is in the hands of the President,” Koijee said.
At the same time, Koijee has rallied all members of the CDC to jealously protect the life of former President Weah as their personal property. He said a touch of the former President should be considered a touch of all partisans of the CDC.
Meanwhile, the CDC Secretary General has called on the leadership of the 55th National Legislature to take serious interest in the sad situation encountered by the party’s standard bearer at the RIA.
“The National Legislature should take due note and address this matter through its oversight responsibility,” Koijee emphasized.