Recently one of the presidential candidates for the Union of Liberian Association in the Americas (ULAA), Mr. Emmanuel S. Wettee had a telephone interview with the Managing Editor of the Bush Chicken Online Magazine, Ben Browne to dispel rumors that he lost the recent debate held in Minnesota to his opponent, Mr. Emmanuel Toe.
WETTEE SKIMS THROUGH HIS DOCUMENTS
Since the debate it has been alleged in some quarters that Mr. Wettee lost the first rounds due to his aggressiveness and demeanor during the debate while his opponent seemed calmed and composed. When asked about such allegations, he said, “Based on the low turn out, we did what we had to do but Philly will be a different ball game.”
During the interview, Mr. Wettee also blamed his debating style on the size of the venue and the Panelist. “What many consider my aggressive behavior was due to the fact that there were less then 35 people in the audience and there was no set rules by the Moderator from the beginning that prohibited me from walking up and down until I started,” he said. He also added that his microphone was close to his mouth so many thought he was shouting. “When you have less people in such a huge church there will be echo, I was not shouting, maybe my opponent was nervous that is why he stayed behind his podium,” he said. He also said he had to behave the way he did because he realized that the audience was sympathetic to Mr. Toe.
TOE STANDS HIS GROUND
On the question of why his Vice President and other Principle Deputies did not attend the debate, Mr. Wettee said though his Vice President had an emergency, it was decided that other members of his team needed to stay in their war (monitoring) room at home to monitor the debate. He said the Minnesota debate was intended to defend the image of ULAA not to promote him to the voting delegates. “I will be promoting myself in Philly. I came to defend ULAA, and I think I did it well,” he said.
When Mr. Wettee was quizzed further on if he considers the Minnesota debate less important as compared to Philly? He said, “Traditionally the last debate before elections is the most important of all.” Mr. Wettee, who spoke from his home state of Ohio, said he was disappointed that the host chapter and the rest of the four chapters of ULAA in the Mid-West were not properly involved in the debate. When he was asked why his home state of Ohio was not represented, he said it was due to the location of the debate. He also added that the people of Ohio will be going to Philly to vote soon and coming to Minnesota was a double task.
Mr. Wettee also expressed his disappointment at the people of Minnesota for not showing what he called “any serious reaction” when his opponent admitted that he has not been fully involved in the Immigration (TPS) debacle confronting thousands of Liberians in the Diaspora, adding Minnesota has one of the largest population of Liberian with TPS. “How can we have someone who has not really been involved in issues affecting the people become their leader?” he asked.
He also accused Mr. Toe of not generating any funds for the Union when he once served as Chairman on Ways and Means Committee. “This man did not put a penny in the Union’s Coffer, he openly admitted insulting the Chairman of the Board of Directors and now he wants to be president,” he said.
In another development, Mr. Wettee responding to a question about his long tenure in the Union and if he thinks his association with past leaders will cost him the presidency, used the opportunity to accuse some of Mr. Toe’s supporters of using ULAA to seek jobs in Liberia’s government. “We will be providing information during the debates in Philly that ties Mr. Toe to most of his supporters who’ve been seeking jobs in Liberia,” he said. He further charged that Mr. Toe and Mr. Mohammed Kromah (former president of ULAA) are business partners. “Mr. King, Jackson and Kromah who are now supporting and raising funds for Mr. Toe all went to Ghana during the Peace Talk to lobby for jobs,” he said. He went on that when Mr. Kromah was appointed Managing Director of the Free Zone in Liberia, he had to resign and his resignation brought Mrs. Roberta Rashide to power as Acting President. “All these people are supporting Mr. Toe, we do not want a ULAA that will be used as a spring board for job seekers in Liberia.
On the question of if he will concede defeat gracefully, he said if he doesn’t win he hope to continue working with his local chapter and providing services to ULAA and the Liberian people. Adding, “I have lived in the U.S. for 14 years, ten of those years have been devoted to ULAA, and it is the only Liberian Institution I know, I will continue to work for it.”
Meanwhile, in Bush Chicken’s effort to keep its core value of reporting both side of the stories at all times, the Managing Editor contacted the Toe-Norris to comment before going to press. Speaking from his home state of Michigan, Mr. Emmanuel Toe addressed some of the issues/allegations raised by Mr. Wettee.
On the allegation of Mr. Toe’s team member wanting to use ULAA as a springboard for jobs in Liberia, Mr. Toe said he does not know of any of his team member who is seeking or wanting to use ULAA to seek jobs in Liberia. “All my team members are here in the U.S. but on the contrary, it was Mr. Wettee Campaign manger, Mr. Kunney who went to Liberia masquerading as a security expert wanting to be Police Chief but was denied,” he said. However, Mr. Toe was quick to add that he is not against qualified Liberians seeking jobs to help their nation but he is against unqualified individuals who want to exploit the good name of ULAA.
Mr. Toe also said that on a personal note he has no plan to seek job from the Liberian government but to create jobs for the suffering masses of Liberia. “I am an employer, it is Mr. Wettee who is an employee. I am going to Liberia by December to start building a 50 room hotel in Buchanan to employ our people.” He also said when he takes over the leadership of ULAA he will encourage Liberians seek training in various disciplines that will enable them to make meaningful contributions to the development of Liberia.
On the allegation about being a business partner with Mr. Kromah, Mr. Toe denied it and challenged Mr. Wettee to provide proof. He therefore accused Mr. Wettee of spreading false information out of desperation and said such behavior is one of the reasons Mr. Wettee needs to step aside by retiring and allow people with a better vision for the Union to assume the leadership. “Mr. Wettee is ULAA, he breathes ULAA, he sleeps ULAA but ULAA is now dysfunctional which means Mr. Wettee is dysfunctional. We have a nice retirement package for him,” he said.
On the allegations about not being fully involved with TPS issues, Mr. Toe said for him Involvement means results. “Mr. Wettee claims to be involved with Liberian issues in the Diaspora, what has been the results?” he asked. Mr. Toe said he is prepared for the debates in Philly and ready to take ULAA in the right directions that will produce results not free talk and promises. He promised to fund every single program proposal that comes on his desk that makes sense.
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