In recent Liberian political history, vice presidents have often portrayed themselves as sidelined or powerless, especially when preparing for their own presidential ambitions. This narrative suggests that they were mere figureheads with little influence on governance, allowing them to later position themselves as โcleanโ and untainted by the failures of the administrations they served. However, this approach raises several concerns:
๐. ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฌ. ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
โข The Liberian Constitution does not render the vice president powerless. Article 51 states that the VP is the president of the Senate and performs duties assigned by the president. This means the VP has legislative influence and plays a role in shaping governance.
โข Despite this, VPs often claim they were sidelined (as former VP Joseph Boakai did under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and now VP Jeremiah Koung under Boakai), which allows them to shift blame and build their own political brand.
๐. ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐
โข This tactic has become a common trend:
โข Boakai vs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: Boakai claimed he was a โparked car,โ suggesting he had no real influence during his 12 years as VP. This helped him distance himself from Sirleafโs administration when he ran for president.
โข Jewel Howard-Taylor vs. George Weah: While serving as VP, she subtly distanced herself from Weahโs policies and later positioned herself as a victim of marginalization within the CDC-led government.
โข Jeremiah Koung vs. Boakai: Now, Koung appears to be employing the same approach, suggesting he lacks power or influence to shape governance under Boakai.
๐. ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฐ๐๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐: ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐
โข The idea that a VP is merely a bystander is misleading. Vice presidents have budgets, influence, and access to national decision-making. If they fail to impact governance, they should be held accountable rather than later claiming they were โparked cars.โ
โข This strategy also creates a cycle where blame is always placed on the sitting president while vice presidents conveniently avoid scrutiny.
๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐
โข Transparency on Vice Presidential Budgets: How much does the VPโs office receive, and how is it spent?
โข Accountability for Political Speech: Leaders must be held responsible for their words and past roles. A vice president who distances themselves from an administration they served in should be asked: โWhat did you do to change things?โ
โข End the Blame Game: Citizens should reject the idea that only the president bears responsibility. Governance is collective, and all key officials should be held accountable.
๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ
The pattern of vice presidents disowning their administrations to advance their own political careers is a deceptive strategy that undermines governance. Instead of accepting these narratives, Liberians must demand accountability from all political figuresโboth presidents and vice presidentsโbecause leadership is not a passive role. If a VP claims they were powerless, they should also be asked why they accepted a position they could not influence.
This is not just about politics; itโs about ensuring leaders take full responsibility for the roles they play in shaping Liberiaโs future.
