MONROVIA: The souring of relationships between Unity Party Standard Bearer Joseph Nyuma Boakai and his long-time ally Benoni Urey, Standard Bearer of the All Liberia Party (ALP), seems to be deepening ever since former Vice President Boakai chose Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung as his running mate – a decision that saw Mr. Urey and his ALP stalwarts boycotting the official unveiling of Senator Koung as Rescue-2 over a fortnight ago. Now, the wound has opened even wider beyond redemption, as Mr. Urey’s daughter Telia, who a few hours ago served as Chairperson of the influential JNB Tact Team-2023 pressure group, appears to have been unceremoniously dethroned from her position and replaced with Madam Meapeh Kou Gono. As The Analyst has discovered, Ms. Telia Urey and her father are equally incensed over what they consider a slight, while the public remains in doubt as to whether Telia Urey actually resigned or was booted from her position due to dereliction of duties.
The evidence of bad blood between the Ureys and the Unity Party came to the fore when Ms. Urey cryptically remarked yesterday on her social media feed about certain people who fail to appreciate when others do good for them, rather, they pay back with evil. “When people repay your good with evil, you leave them with God and continue to do more good!”
Telia Urey’s cryptic post immediately caused a flurry of reactions from the public who had anticipated the fallout, but were concerned that Ms. Urey should have been bold enough to disclose the source of her frustration.
“So, who repay your good with evil? Sister, when someone or something hurts you, it is better to speak about it directly. But for you to keep mute and just keep throwing talk, it baffles some of us who believe in you and your resilience. Our country Liberia is bigger than any individual. Even when you resigned from the COP, you wrote clear a communication as to why you were resigning. You could have done the same with the Tact Team which would have put you on record,” a Facebook poster immediately responded.
“You will hear from me soon. Please note that I did not resign from the Tact Team. I received an unsigned letter from a non-existent Executive Committee that I was relieved from my position. This was followed by an appointment of someone else,” Telia’s response followed forthwith.
Resignation or coup d’etat?
Did Telia Urey resign from her position of Chairperson of the JNB Tact Team-2023, or was she unceremoniously replaced to fill in the gap created recently when she and the ALP withdrew their alliance with the Unity Party (UP), thereby leaving her chairperson position vulnerable? Did the UP really undercut Ms. Urey by replacing her without consultation? These were some of the questions lingering on the minds of the undiscerning public as the drama unfolded.
While the undercurrents of the conflict threatened to implode, a letter of appointment dated June 13, 2023 from the JNB Tact Team surfaced on the internet, announcing Madam Meapeh Kou Gono as the new chairperson of the Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai Tact Team – 2023 with immediate effect.
“Madam Gono brings worth of intelligible political experience and undiluted political currency to the Movement. She is the third in a series of JNB Tact Team – 2023 National Chairpersons, and the second female to hold the post of National Chairperson.
“While we congratulate Madam Gono, we also want to extend our thanks and appreciation to Madam Telia Urey, the outgoing Chairperson, for the leadership over the course of the last 15 months.
“We call on the press, the general public, our stakeholders, and the Unity Party National Leadership in Monrovia and across the Diaspora to accord Madam Gono all the deference she deserves as she takes on this new role. The JNB Tact Team-2023 is ever more motivated and fired up as we commence the 2023 campaign toward the general elections, a year that we have long waited for to dislodge the George Weah’s kleptocratic regime of “Ali Baba and his Forty Thieves”.
“We hereby call on all members of the JNB Tact Team-2023 home and abroad to buckle up as we propel this RESCUE TRAIN to our resounding victory come October 10, 2023. Best regards, Executive Leadership,” the JNB Tact Team-2023 letter stated.
Acidic mixed reactions
The ordeal over Ms. Urey’s post relative to the JNB Tact Team-2023 appointment of Madam Gono has caused a flurry of reactions from the public, with many seemingly peeved with the former Chairperson of the Tact Team.
“It’s obvious that you were in this alliance for your own personal good. If truly you were supporting JNB wholeheartedly you wouldn’t be saying this. Anyways, politics is about interest,” one poster remarked.
“JNB has done nothing wrong. He just honorably refused to be colonized by your syndicate. It surely hurts though,” another poster said.
“What does that mean, Telia Urey? I hope you are not trying to denigrate JNB and the rescue team. You volunteered to serve and some of us nearly lost our lives in your defense. I hope you are not being misled by some greedy politicians,” someone wondered.
“Boakai is ungrateful! I like your farsighted decision, leader! Their gboyo ticket is going nowhere!!!” stated an irate poster who evidently supported Ms. Urey’s position.
“Fighting people who God himself lifted is like digging a hole for somebody and mistakenly your very self forgot, and fell into it. Good lesson. Hope you learn something different, especially the good you claim is not done at the right time and for the right purpose!” one poster remarked cryptically.
Meanwhile, as speculations swirl that the ALP has issued to the Unity Party a 24-hour ultimatum to remove all JNB Tact Team materials from their headquarters, conspiracy theorists are claiming that talk show host Henry Pedro Costa who is in Monrovia from the United States could start spilling some unsavory beans that might further dent the Unity Party’s hopes of unseating President Weah and his CDC at the upcoming October 10, 2023 polls.
Interestingly, the Unity Party has failed to make an official statement on the Telia Urey /JNB Tact Team-2023 saga, even as attempts made by this paper to get a response proved futile.
Comments are closed.