MONROVIA – In the wake of some photos trending on the social media showing him in a hearty conversation with some politicians including Senators Jeremiah Koung, James Biney, former Chairman of the Unity Party (UP) Wilmot Paye, among others; and a reported meeting with former Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, which events have now being construed as leaning towards Ambassador Boakai, Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe has categorically stated that his support for President George Manneh Weah for his second term bid remains unshakable and there is no iota of truth in the insinuation that he jumped ship to lend support to the presidential ambition of Mr. Boakai.
Speaking to a live phone-in program on the OK FM Radio yesterday, Thursday, April 27, 2023, Senator Snowe said he was taken aback when some people begin to read different meanings in how he conducts himself; that by staying in contact with people who differ with him politically as well as his respect for former VP Boakai would mean that he has abandoned President Weah and has gone to the opposition bloc to democratically unseat Mr. Weah.
“I have my side and they have their side. I have no reason not to support Weah and that confuses me. So, because I am with Mr. Weah, I should not be seen with Mr. X or I should not pay respect to the former Vice President or I should not talk to Senator Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence or Senator Jeremiah Koung? No, I do not do that.
“There is no reason why I should leave President Weah and join the other side. If I ever intend to withdraw my support from him today, I will drive to his house and tell him that I am withdrawing my support to him,” Senator Snowe said,
Snowe, who said he has a different brand of politics that is rooted in maintaining relationships with people despite their political differences, also stated that he believes in politics with principle, meaning he does not waver in supporting a cause, and there was no room for him to be influenced by anyone being a man for himself.
He said despite the relation existing between the president and him, he boldly told Mr. Weah in 2017 that he was not going to support but his support will go to Mr. Boakai whom he stated was better prepared to lead. He said unlike in 2014 where he supported President Weah at the time he contested the senate, 2017 was a different ball game and he was rooting for Mr. Boakai.
“So, when people were sending the photos from the meeting I had with Senator Koung, James Biney, Wilmot Paye and others on my farm, the President said to me he told those who were sending the photos that I was not a man who will say something and do another thing.
“He said he told the people that ‘I am a fan of Edwin Snowe, what he tells you is what he will do.
“When I supported him against Robert Sirleaf, I was close to people in the first family. Some of those who were against him at the time are now ministers. I stood by him and never played politics with it”, Snowe said.
Responding to a question on the rumor making the round that he played a key role in making the choice for Mr. Boakai during the process of selecting his running mate, Snowe said it was far from the truth because in the first place he has side to support already, which is to ensure that President Weah gets re-elected, so, it does not make any sense at all to be a part of a process that he does not support.
“I think someone is trying to use my name to bring confusion in their arrangement. It does not make sense at all for me to select or recommend any one”, he said.
Speaking on the purported meeting he allegedly held with the former VP in Bomi County which was widely reported that he had gone to beg Mr. Boakai for forgiveness, the Bomi County Senator said it was an exaggerated lie told by some people because his conversation he had with Mr. Boakai was on a cordial relationship and nothing of such occurred where he allegedly prostrated before Mr. Boakai begged him for forgiveness.
“The truth of the matter is my farm is about a five-minute drive from where Mr. Boakai has his house in Bomi, and I didn’t even know that he was going to convene a meeting with other political leaders.
“I was in some private conversation with some of my colleagues, Senators Lawrence, Senator Koung, etc and they told me they were heading towards Bomi to hold meeting with Mr. Boakai and I jokingly told them but then I will make use of the time to see Mr. Boakai.
“So, I called his son, Joseph, and said Jo Jo, please I want to see your father, and he said he will arrange the meeting in less than 3 minutes, he got back to me and said his father was happy to see me.
“I drove to the place and I tell you, right to the door he came out to receive me, give me seat, I sat down and he began to tell me, ‘oh Edwin, you are my nephew, I know I sent you a text and you responded to it on Spoon TV but there is no need for anything to dwell on. Your uncle and I attended school together and I grew up in Bomi’.
“Seeing a senior citizen talking like that I was amazed and I sat down listening. From there he asked me about my farm, because he is passionate about farming. So, we discussed mostly agriculture and nothing about politics.
“And so, I was surprised to hear people saying I went to apologize and I prostrated. We were the only three persons where I sat, he, me and God and no one else. So, there was nothing like me begging for forgiveness as others were saying”, he said.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives also found time to speak about the alleged meeting he had with Senators Koung, Biney, Wilmot Paye and others which some people thought was meant to make input into who becomes the running mate to Mr. Boakai.
“Well in the first place, that meeting was held on my farm and not at the residence of the former Vice President. As I said, I have always held a good working relationship with my colleagues no matter the differences we have on the political front.
“They had earlier told me that they will visit me when they are in Bomi and so after the meeting, they came and I took them around on my farm to see what I have been doing there.
“We had a nice time together and at the end of the visit we had lunch together and they left. Of course, we are politicians, we are pastors or bishops, so our discussion was on politics most of the time.
“Nothing was about discussing who becomes the running mate for Mr. Boakai because it was not even possible because I have my side already which is to support the re-election of Mr. Weah”, he said.
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