Editorial: Henry P. Costa: “The Mission To Remove The Nightmare We Have Presiding Over Our Country”

HENRY COSTA, IN his Monday, July 10, 2023 press statement took a bold political position on Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai’s quest for the presidency, mainly involving comments Ambassador Boakai allegedly made concerning key political actors like Jeremiah Koung, his vice running mate, and Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, one of those considered for his vice running mate. The UP Standard Bearer, however, sees no political implication in the Costa statement because in a Facebook post, minutes after Costa’s press statement, Ambassador Boakai said, “Henry P. Costa is my son and I hold nothing against him. I forgive him and I am always willing to work with every well-meaning Liberian to accomplish our mission to rescue Liberia. I would advise all to focus our attention on the mission to remove the nightmare we have presiding over our country.”

COSTA’S OUTBURST IS apparently stemmed from the information that Ambassador Boakai had promised to select him as his running mate and, in fact, describing him as brilliant, loyal and patriotic, only to turn him down and select Senator Koung, whom he previously described as corrupt and a puppet to a notorious warlord.

ACCORDING TO COSTA’S statement, “On Friday, January 13, 2023, I had a very important meeting in Liberia at Royal Hotel in room 309 with representatives of some serious and powerful people. They offered me millions of dollars to run for the presidency of Liberia in this year’s general and presidential elections. Their proposition, though massive, was not a shocker to me as a powerful man of God that I trust had earlier prophesied it to me some three years ago in 2020. They told me that they had conducted a nationwide survey on me that indicated that I have a strong favorability across the country. They promised to deploy the required expertise on top of the millions they were offering to ensure success. I must admit, I was overwhelmed in no small measure, not just by the sheer enormity of their proposition or offer, but also that it was particularly happening to me, Henry Coast, instead of one of the many already-declared presidential candidates out there.

“WHEN IT WAS my turn to speak or give an answer to the proposition that had just been made to me, I nervously thanked them for their most generous offer, but firmly and respectfully declined it. I told them that I could not accept their money to run against Ambassador Joseph Boakai for I was fully committed to his candidacy and I believed it would deeply devastate a man that I had come to love, admire and enthusiastically support. It would be a most painful betrayal, I believed at the time. The gentlemen were deeply disappointed by my answer, but ironically, they were also blown away and impressed by my loyalty to a man who is not even a remote relative of mine. Considering the serious money problems that Uncle Joe was facing, which I am very well familiar with, I then passionately pleaded with the gentlemen to convey my humble and fervent request to their superiors that I wanted them to kindly divert and give the entire US$30 million package to Ambassador Boakai for his presidential campaign while I would then focus on my already-declared bid for the Senate’s seat of Montserrado County. After much hesitation, they reluctantly agreed to pass on my request to their superiors,” Costa narrated.

“SO, ON THURSDAY, March 16, Ambassador Joseph Boakai and a delegation of four persons boarded a Kenya Airways flight and landed in Accra, Ghana, an hour and a half later for his meeting with my financial backers. The trip was entirely paid for by the people.

“IN THE MEETING, which took place at the Marriott Hotel near Kotoka International Airport, which had been requested by Ambassador Boakai, he did something that would dramatically change the way I would see him forever. When he got into the meeting with the potential financiers, Ambassador Joseph N. Boakai used the opportunity to bad-mouth me to these financiers, saying some of the most negative things about my character to them. After telling me that he would commit to them that he would make me his running mate, he broke his promise and went on a rampage of trying to damage my reputation to people who I had brought to support him. He even went as far as blasting them for offering me such a deal rather than to him. He told them to dump me and give him the US$30 million so he could pick whoever he wanted for his running mate, in exchange he promised to give them anything they wanted in Liberia if he won. He specifically said he would give them the Wologizi mountain in Lofa County…When they asked him about his promise to name me as his running mate, Ambassador Boakai vehemently denied ever promising to make me his running mate,” Costa’s explanation continued.