GOMPA, Nimba – Vice President Joseph N. Boakai is expected to pay a four-day visit to Nimba on Tuesday, July 4.

Thousands of Unity Party supporters are expected to gather in the town of Sokopa, at the entrance of Nimba from neighboring Bong, to greet Boakai, who is the standard bearer of the ruling party.

Bob Kartoe, the public relations officer for Unity Party in Nimba, said Boakai will be welcomed by chiefs and elders at the county border.

“The elders will present kola nuts to him there; After which, we will move to our party headquarter in Ganta,” Kartoe said.

Following a brief stopover at Sokopa, the vice president will move to Ganta and attend a service at the United Liberia Inland Church, organized by the Ganta Christian Community. Afterward, Boakai will head to the county’s capital, Sanniquellie.

Near Sanniquellie, Boakai is expected to visit Duo-Tiehyee and “dedicate a bridge project that was built to connect Duo and the other communities,” Kartoe said.

The four-day visit will cover at least six of the nine electoral districts of the county. At the close of the tour, a formal endorsement ceremony is expected to take place in Ganta.

According to Peterson Walker, chairman of the steering committee planning Boakai’s trip, preparations are underway for the ceremony, which will take place at the Kumasi Sports Field.

The vice president’s trip comes at a time when the official campaign period has not yet begun. However, Unity Party, like many other parties, has been holding several rallies and gathering meant to promote their candidates. The National Election Commission recently issued a warning against premature campaigning to four parties but did not levy any fines.

NEC’s rules define campaigning as “any activity of an aspirant, candidate, political party, coalition, alliance, political movement or others done for the purpose of electing or promoting an aspirant or candidate for elective public office.”

The rules even specify that “holding a march, parade, or other assemblies for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or promoting an individual aspirant or candidate by way of speech, picture, banner, posters, placards or any other printed materials that tend to promote an individual aspirant or candidate for an elective public office.”

NEC’s tepid response to premature campaigning is likely due to the harsh nature of the penalty spelled out in the rules. Any candidate or aspirant found violating the rules is supposed to be declared “ineligible to contest the election to which the violation relates.”

Featured photo by Marco Castro/UN Photo