The man who has lately become the center of controversy for his reported postwar presidential kingmaker role is himself caught between the scissors of political gamesmanship, as he cries foul over what he sees as attempts by the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) to force his hands into a marriage of convenience that he says left his homeland Nimba and its people bereft of their rightful benefits over the five years administration of President George M. Weah.
According to Nimba County’s Senator Prince Y. Johnson in a special statement released late Tuesday evening, the CDC-led Government owes the people of Nimba County over $7.5M, for which, as County officials they have been sincerely approaching the Weah-led government over the past five years with all diplomatic means to pay the money owed the people of Nimba so they can be able to carry out major development projects that will benefit everyone in the county, but that President Weah and his people have deliberately refused to give what belongs to Nimba and her children.
“This Government has also refused to give top governmental positions we previously discussed and agreed to be given to our sons and daughters of Nimba, like top Ministerial Positions, Managing Directors including ambassadorial positions.
“Now that we have withdrawn our political support and have decided to take one of our sons to contest for the presidency, they are threatening our lives, they are calling us all kinds of names and putting our innocent children against us all because of petty cash that cannot feed them, but we are not afraid and will never be carried away by that because Nimba County deserves better for her children.
“The Government is going about begging us in a corner for our support, but at the same time they have plugged people against us on the radio and in public places insulting us, and threatening our lives and they still want us to find common ground, we are no longer stupid to accept such a game from them again.
“Meanwhile, we have heard in the news that Minister Wilfred Bangura and others pledged the MDR Political Party support to the CDC reelection come October of this year; okay and that’s fine, but Minister Wilfred Bangura is not the official spokesman for the MDR Political Party, his statement represents himself and those that believed in him, but not the party.
“So, the Party has spoken about it already, the Youth wing has also addressed their concern about his statement. The Executive Committee will soon be meeting to discuss and take serious action against him including those involved in betrayal and undermining the Party’s decision.
“We remain independent as a political institution and our leader will contest for the presidency, and we are very committed to our decision.
“We never registered as a political party to be a bag boy to another Political Party, we registered as a Political Party to produce a president that will see the needs of every Liberian,” Senator Johnson lamented.
The special statement from the Nimba County lawmaker comes in the wake of a recent reaction from Nimba County-hailed Minister Wilfred Bangura denouncing statements that his Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) boss made during a Voice of America interview where he divulged contents of a meeting he (Senator Johnson) allegedly had with emissaries of President Weah that were allegedly sent to call on the MDR to continue their support to the CDC, and as well stop Senator Jeremiah Koung from contesting the Liberian presidency.
“They are saying no, we should not run, we should support Mr. Weah, and that if we do, it will be an affront to Mr. Weah. And we said, we are a party registered under the laws of this country, and our support from 2017 October ended October 2022; so, there is no more document binding. This year, we have observed that what we expected in the past is not we see on the ground,” Johnson reportedly told President Weah’s emissaries who included Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel McGill, CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu, Professor Wilson Tarpeh, Labor Minister Charles Gibson, among many others.
“We had believed, as well as the Liberian people believed, that being the world best, African best, all of the best; that his election would have attracted investors to Liberia to create jobs and alleviate the suffering of our people through the investment and employment. But since his election, the world has abandoned us in the sense that no investors are coming. What we are doing in the country is just ratifying loan agreements all the time. We cannot build a country based on loans and internal revenue. We need private sector. So, things are very difficult in the country. The unemployment rate is escalating. So, there is nothing encouraging to give Mr. Weah second term. That’s why we decided to quit,” stated Senator Johnson as he justified his action of disengagement from the CDC.
“Investors are not on the ground to provide jobs that will alleviate the suffering of our people; jobs to put food on the table; jobs to help our people. Those university graduates every year have no jobs; their degrees are hanging on the walls; and it continues to increase the level of unemployment,” Johnson lamented.
But in response to Senator Johnson, CDC stalwart Lester Tenny is saying that Senator Johnson presented a completely different version of his meeting with the officials of the Weah government.
“I listened to Senator Prince Y. Johnson outburst on VOA few nights ago that he has decided to part ways with the ruling party and he further said that Tweah, McGill, Nagbe all ran to his house to plea with him to stay. Well, the part of Tweah and others going to his house is true, but the reason was not to stay with the CDC. Let me state the reason why Tweah and others visited PYJ. What I do know is that their visit was to formally tell the senator that while the ruling party enjoys the six years of relationship, geopolitical circumstances have created a space for the revisit of the relationship, for the revisit of the relationship. Senator Johnson was informed by the visitors that due to the sanction imposed by the United States and the conditions that characterize the sanction, the government and the ruling party will be uncomfortable maintaining the political marriage and thus the ruling party decided to cut ties with his Johnson’s party,” Lester Tenny said in a social media post on Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
Continuing, Tenny wondered who come the alleged war crimes candidate (Senator Johnson) reinvented the narrative of that discussion. Tenny said as a matter of fact, the government continues to enjoy the confidence of the people of this country and doesn’t need any political institution to assist in its reelection.
“Yes, the ruling party is looking forward to collaboration with any political party on the basis of shared vision to transform this country and not on the basis to partition jobs for mostly misfits who sneak into these institutions to enter government for the purpose of legitimizing national robbery.
“Liberians will reelect Weah on the jobs he was done and continue to do. The age of renaissance is here and technology and innovation have created the space for the people to see from afar the works of their government. Yes, we are going to these elections with some huge liabilities but the alternative, preparing to unleash a tsunami type havoc of unprecedented stealing cannot be given such opportunity. Liberia must rise. Weah was not perfect, but even in his imperfections, Liberia has indeed changed in all spheres,” Tenny stated.
But the reaction from Lester Tenny has left plenty pundits wondering with wide open eyes.
“How can anyone sound person believe this kind of talk from Tenny; that the ruling party after six years of relationship, is now cutting ties with Senator Johnson and his MRD party because of geopolitical circumstances that have created a space for the revisit of the relationship? How can Lester Tenny justify the CDC’s decision to cut off Senator Johnson because he is on sanctions imposed by the United States and the conditions that characterize the sanction – when one of those who attended that meeting is a former member of President Weah’s cabinet who is still on the Magnitsky sanctions? Tenny thinks Liberians drink water through their noses?” fumed Larmie Daramie, a resident of Gardnersville.
