Costa, a member of the All Liberian Party (ALP), claimed to have been offered millions of dollars by his financial backers to run for the presidency in this year’s general and presidential elections. However, he made the unexpected decision to decline the offer, citing his unwavering support for Ambassador Joseph Boakai, whom he requested should receive the funding for his presidential bid instead.
The ALP, led by businessman Benoni Urey, had been a long-time ally of Amb. Boakai.
Costa’s revelations came during a press conference held at the ALP headquarters on Monday, where he addressed the recent rift between himself and Ambassador Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the presidential candidate for the Unity Party.
According to Costa, his loyalty to Boakai came at a personal cost, as he pleaded with the financiers to redirect the substantial funds to support Boakai’s campaign instead. The financiers, according to him, reluctantly agreed to consider Costa’s request, leaving him hopeful that he had made an honorable and selfless choice. Costa said his request was accepted but on the condition that he would be selected as the running mate to Boakai.
However, Costa said his hopes were shattered when he discovered that Boakai had tarnished his reputation during a meeting with the same financiers. He alleged that Boakai bad-mouthed him, urging the financiers to abandon him and redirect the funds solely to his own campaign. The former vice president, according to Costa, even offered them incentives, such as promising them ownership of the Wologizi Mountain in Lofa County, if they complied with his demands.
This, according to Costa, left him deeply disappointed and feeling betrayed by a man he had considered a father figure. He said in a subsequent conversation, Boakai apologized for his actions, attributing them to the financial pressure he was facing.
Costa said that despite accepting Boakai’s apology, he remained confused about the former vice president’s motivations and treatment of him.
But Amb. Boakai, in a Facebook post, did not confirm or deny Costa’s allegations. However, he said he has forgiven Costa. This is what he posted on Facebook:
“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.”
Henry Costa further announced that the financial backers supporting his political endeavors have withdrawn their offer. Costa recounted a series of events that led to the deterioration of their relationship. He disclosed that in late January of this year, following Ambassador Boakai’s discharge from ELWA Hospital, medical examinations in the United States revealed that Boakai required a triple bypass open-heart surgery within six months. The doctors warned that without the surgery, Boakai’s life would be at risk. He said this shook him and the entire ALP, prompting them to rally behind their leader, Mr. Benoni Urey, and organize his return to the United States for the crucial procedure.
However, just weeks before their scheduled departure, Costa reportedly received a call from Boakai’s nephew, Jake Kabakole, informing him that the presidential candidate had canceled the trip. According to Costa, he was left stunned by this sudden decision, which he found unusual considering the critical nature of Boakai’s health condition.
Costa began to hear rumors that Boakai believed that he had been bribed by President George Weah and his allies to arrange for the surgery to be fatal.
The situation took a turn for the worse, according to Costa, when on March 30th, Boakai himself sent a WhatsApp message to him, confirming the rumors. He said Boakai cited concerns about his safety during the surgery as the reason for his decision to back out.
According to Costa, deeply heartbroken, communication between them deteriorated significantly. Boakai distanced himself from him and the ALP, engaging in political discussions with other individuals and parties without their involvement.
Costa lamented the exclusion of the ALP from crucial decision-making processes and accused Boakai of aligning with politicians who had previously been absent during their struggles. These meetings, according to him, resulted in the division of various representative and senatorial seats among different parties, leaving the ALP marginalized and ignored.
Even more distressing for Costa was Boakai’s selection of Jeremiah Koung as his running mate, a decision made without consulting the ALP or considering their perspectives.
Expressing his disappointment, Costa emphasized that the ALP had been treated with disdain and malice, despite their years of sacrifice and support for Boakai. He asserted that the party’s values could not be compromised for the sake of winning an election.
Costa further recounted a conversation with Amb. Boakai where they discussed potential running mates for Boakai’s presidential campaign. Boakai expressed his reasons for not considering Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence, citing her weakened position due to internal party conflicts and her alleged mistreatment of Charles Brumskine’s party. According to him, Boakai also dismissed the idea of choosing Jeremiah Koung, whom he allegedly accused of being corrupt and a puppet of warlord Prince Johnson, warning that such a decision would displease the United States.
“Amb. Joseph Boakai had told me during an hour-long phone call that he wasn’t going with Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence as his running mate because of her weakened position due to the internal crisis in her party and because of the way she had treated Charles Brumskine’s party and people by mortgaging it to the likes of Musa Bility. He also decisively dismissed the idea of picking Jeremiah Koung, whom he said was very corrupt and a puppet of the notorious warlord, Prince Johnson. He further told me that the Americans, in particular, would be very unhappy and offended if he picked Jeremiah Koung as his running mate,” Costa said.
Costa stressed that the ALP stood against bad leadership and would not support the same group of individuals who had hijacked the “rescue mission” for personal gain.
Since Boakai’s announcement, Costa revealed that the Unity Party had been engaging in antagonistic actions towards the ALP, attempting to lure away ALP aspirants and fielding candidates against ALP members. These actions further strained the relationship between the two parties.
In light of these developments, Costa announced that the ALP would sever ties with Ambassador Boakai and the Unity Party. He made it clear that they no longer shared the same ideals, vision, or values. The ALP will hold internal meetings in the coming days to determine their next course of action, he disclosed.
Source: FrontPage Africa
