Sinkor, Monrovia – Henry Costa finally speaks out after remaining silent for months following the selection of Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Koung as the Unity Party standard bearer Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s running mate. This comes as the All Liberian Party distances itself from supporting the former ruling Unity Party in the upcoming October 10, 2023, Presidential and Legislative elections.
Addressing a major Press Conference on Monday July 10, 2023, in Monrovia, the Council of Patriots former Chairman Henry Costa stated the decision by the All Liberian Party to withdraw their support from the Unity Party, derived from the former VP failure to pick him as running mate after exerting every effort in supporting the UP Political Leader.
Costa claimed that on Friday, January 13, 2023, he met with representatives of highly important and powerful people in Liberia’s Royal Hotel Room # 309. He stated that he was given a financial offer of $30 million to run for president in Liberia’s presidential and parliamentary elections on October 10, 2023, but he declined the money because he supports the UP.
‘‘I was informed that I had a high level of favorability across the nation, according to a poll they had done on me. Given that I was totally committed to Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s candidacy and that doing so would profoundly undermine a man I had grown to love, admire, and warmly support, I told them that I could not accept their funding to run against him; doing so would be a very painful act of betrayal. I then fervently begged the men to inform their superior of my humble and fervent request that they kindly divert and give the entire $30 million package to Ambassador Joseph Nyumah Boakai for his presidential campaign, while I would then concentrate on my already-announced run for the Senate seat of Montserrado County. This was because Uncle Joe was dealing with serious financial issues, which I am very familiar with.”
According to Costa, former vice president Boakai informed them in Careysburg on April 26, 2023, two days before Amb. Boakai announced his running mate, that he had decided to select Senator Jeremiah Koung of Nimba County as his running mate for the elections on October 10, 2023.
”He didn’t come to talk about the choice he had made, a choice he had adamantly declared he would make in the best interests of the nation some weeks prior. He didn’t come to talk to us about what we thought would be best or genuinely ask for our help.”
Costa added that since the announcement, and throughout this period of their silence and consultation, the Unity Party has been provoking the ALP in ways they could never have anticipated, given all of their sacrifices made and the support they provided the Unity Party.
”My party has given me the authority to state categorically and without ambiguity that Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai and the Unity Party are no longer allies or partners of our party, the All Liberian Party (ALL). We no longer hold the same values, goals, or vision. Our party will convene in the upcoming days to decide how to proceed.”
