–Senator Discloses; Re-election Uncertainty in 2023?

IPNEWS: In the 2017 elections that brought the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)–led government to state power, Liberia’s second most populated county, Nimba was key in the accumulation of votes for the former opposition party to unseat the then-ruling Unity Party, which now has former Vice Joseph Boakai as its political leader and standard bearer.

Weah earned 61.5 percent of the total vote in the presidential run-off, compared to 38.5 percent for his opponent, Vice President Joseph Boakai, the National Elections Commission (NEC) announced. Voter turnout was 55.8 percent, or just over 1.2 million people, the NEC reported. Nimba County contributed significantly to the votes Weah earned in 2017.

Nimba County, according to the 2008 National Housing and Population Census, had a population of about 462,026. From the National Elections Commission (NEC) 2017 statistics, Nimba had a voting population of 279,601, of this number, 200,791 votes were cast in the county.

Despite the presence of 20 Presidential candidates in that 2017 presidential race, the Unity Party was led by Vice President Joseph Boakai and Senator Weah, who headed the CDC, were inarguably the heavyweights in that election, but still, Senator Johnson was overwhelmingly voted for by kinsmen and women in Nimba.

He attained 107,430 votes of the 200,791 votes that were cast. That constituted 53.5% of the overall votes in the county. The margin between Senator Johnson and Vice President Boakai, who came out second in Nimba was a 67,466 difference. VP Boakai obtained 39,964 votes.

Senator Johnson’s support to Pres. Weah in the second round of the election saw Pres. Weah attains an overwhelming victory in the election.

Senator Johnson, however, is on record for expressing his regrets for rallying the vote-rich Nimba in support of President Weah. However, pundits say this has been his strategy to get the President in line with his demands.

It can be recalled in her two successive victories as the standard bearer of the former ruling Unity Party (President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had to also rely on votes from the vote-rich Nimba County to make her succeed, as she got the endorsement of the now-sanctioned Senator Prince Y. Johnson, who is regarded as a ‘political god-gather of Nimba County.

The people of Nimba County regard the now sanctioned Senator Prince Y. Johnson as a ‘political god-father, having defended his kinsmen from the clutches of death during the 14-year Liberian civil war that took the lives of over 250,000 people.

During the rule of the military junta in Liberia, headed by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe between the period of 1980 to 1985, having fallen out with his best friend and former Commanding General of the Armed Forces of Liberia, General Thomas G. Quiwonkpa (deceased), the people of Nimba County were seen as enemies and sought after for elimination by the Doe’s government.

When Charles Taylor launched his rebellion to unseat the Samuel Doe regime, men, women and children (conscripted), joined forces with Taylor and his erstwhile National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) rebel movement, where Prince Y. Johnson was a renowned battle group commander, leading the charge on one front to unseat president Doe’s regime, and in their words to ‘save the people of Nimba’ and Liberians in general from Doe’s clutches.

Fast forward, the civil war ended, Taylor became president, and Prince Johnson fled to exile for fear of his life, having fallen out with Taylor at some stage of their revolution. When he returned in 2004 from exile, Prince Johnson sought ties with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, with the intent to vie on the ticket of the Unity Party, but he was unsuccessful and decided to go independent and subsequently won the senatorial seat of Nimba County in 2005 with more votes than his other rival, Adolphus Dolo, alias ‘Peanut Butter’, who was also a former rebel fighter for Taylor’s forces.

For the people of Nimba, Prince Y Johnson and Adolphus Dolo protected them during the civil crisis, thus they had to repay them with political power by voting for them overwhelmingly in the 2005 elections as Senators for their county.

When it was clear that the 2005 elections were headed for a run-off, Senator-elect Prince Y. Johnson decided to the support CDC candidate George Weah against his former ally, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who came second to Weah in the first round of votes. In the end, Ellen being Ellen, she was able to get endorsements of other political parties as well as other politicians from Nimba County, including Dr. Joseph Korto (deceased) and was eventually elected for her first term in 2005.

As for the 2011 presidential and legislative elections, with CDC Weah being relegated as running mate to Cllr. Winston Tubman, Senator Prince Y. Johnson decided to move his support to President Sirleaf, leading to her successful re-elected with once again Nimba County providing enough votes through the influence of Senator Johnson, a former ally we returned to base.

Senator PYJ in November 2021 Predicted CDC Rigging Elections ‘2023

It can be recalled in November 2021, in an interview with an online platform in Monrovia Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson predicted that the CDC-led government of President George Weah will rig the pending 2023 presidential and legislative elections by all means to stay in power.

Senator Johnson, who is also the founder and head pastor of the Chapel of Faith Ministries, said prophetically speaking he is a man of God, and also repeated that the 2023 elections will be rigged, stressing, “2023 will be rigged by this government, and that will bring the civilian and this government into confrontation; I see more demonstrations in 2023, if this don’t happen what I am telling you, don’t believe me.”

When asked as to why members of the Senate were not helping to solve the prevailing situation in the country at that time which has led the citizenry to be in fear, Senator Johnson said, “We are doing our best. We advise, we cannot take the cow to the water and force it to drink.”

Speaking further back in November 2021 in a rather frustrated state of mind, the Nimba County Senator said, “If I was president I will prioritize salaries; salaries will put food on the people’s tables, look how we the Senators have not taken pay for months, I am disappointed, my people are crying.”

Senator Johnson reflecting on the 2017 presidential and legislative elections results which brought the CDC-led government to power disclosed also rigged, stressing, “There was massive rigging during this gone (2017) elections.”

Fast forward to 2022, it is not clear whether Senator Johnson’s 2021 prediction regarding the pending 2023 elections is one of the reasons, he, along with Senator and kinsmen Jeremiah Koung  and Nimba County are not happy with the President.

Did Sanctioned PYJ Call The Shots to Reportedly Coercing Pres. Weah to Make a Number of Appointments in Gov’t?

In October 21, 2022, it was reported in the media that the sanctioned Nimba County Senator, Prince Y. Johnson, was still reportedly using his influence as the ‘political godfather’ of the vote-rich Nimba County as leverage to impose on President George Weah’s appointments into government as he desires.

It was reported that the Nimba County Senator had been behind a number of bad appointments and recommendations for key jobs in the Weah-led government.

This had reportedly raised concerns within leadership’s inner circle as the former warlord-turned Senator is said to be using vote-rich Nimba’s influence on 2023 elections in a bid to force allies into government despite being nailed on US Treasury Department’s Sanctions List.

According to the media reports, Senator Johnson also reportedly wrote President Weah to appoint Mr. Zotawin Titus, Commissioner of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) as the Chairperson of the LTA as part of the accommodation for Nimba County in the 2023 elections.

If that recommendation is yielded, it will see Madam Edwina Zackpah, one of the few females holding a top post in the Weah-led government, being ousted as acting chairperson of the LTA.

His request, however, reportedly put President Weah in a fix as he is weighing between the Acting Chairperson and Senator Johnson’s request which is being rejected by many of his advisors.

It was also gathered that Senator Johnson through his influence continues to ensure that Nimbaians remain in key government positions. Mr. Charles Gono, for instance, has been Deputy Commissioner for Technical Service (Division of Safety and Vessel Registration) since 2009 when Maritime was still a Bureau before being turned into an Authority. He has served more than two tenures as Deputy, yet, through the influence of Sen. Johnson, President Weah continues to maintain Mr. Gono at the Maritime Authority.

Sources close to President Weah also informed that Mr. Sam Doe whose nomination as Deputy Managing Director for Operations at the National Port Authority has brought some embarrassment to the government due to his alleged criminal records in the United States was a recommendation by Sen. Johnson.

Senator Johnson, according to sources, along with the Nimba County caucus have been imposing names on ArcelorMittal for employment – often threatening the steel that their failure to employ his lieutenants would be detrimental to their smooth operations in the county.

Senator Johnson is on record for expressing his regrets for rallying the vote-rich Nimba in support of President Weah. However, pundits say this has been his strategy to get the President in line with his demands.

It can be recalled that in August 2020, while expressing his regrets, Sen. Johnson walked out of the Senate’s confirmation proceedings for a new Superintendent of Nimba County. President George Weah had appointed Mr. Nelson N. Korquoi to replace outgoing Dorr Cooper. Cooper is said to be a supporter of Sen. Johnson.

“I don’t want confusion; you all know the level of work I did in Nimba to get President Weah elected. In 2005 and 2011, the people of Nimba didn’t vote for CDC. In 2017, everything almost went to the other candidate; my support for the CDC brought the victory,” Sen. Johnson said at the time.

It is however unclear whether the reported refusal of President Weah to be coerced by Senator Johnson to appoint Nimbaians in his government may be one of the reasons behind the reports that Senator PYJ is not happy with the President, ahead of the 2023 elections.

President Weah Neglects Nimba County

Fast forward to 2022, Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Koung, a strong supporter of the Weah administration has distanced himself from the ruling establishment, particularly President George Weah’s re-election bid for a second term.

Senator Koung early Friday in Ganta, Nimba County, appeared on a local radio, the Voice of Gompa in Ganta City, Nimba County and told Nimbaians that he, including Senator Prince Y. Johnson, are not happy with the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and President Weah, citing neglect from the government.

Both Senators had endorsed President Weah’s second term bid several times and their party – Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) – is in coalition with the government.

However, Senator Koung changed his tongue over the weekend in Ganta city when he said he was not happy with the CDC-led government.

He disclosed Nimbaians do not have ministerial posts in the Weah administration, and President Weah has failed to solve land disputes in Ganta, among other concerns.

But according to the list of government officials in ministerial posts from Nimba County, Cllr. Cooper Kruah is the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Mr. G. Andy Quamie is Deputy Youth and Sports Minister; Wilfred Bangura is Deputy Commerce Minister for Administration, etc.

Senator Koung noted and disclosed: “Up to now, I am supporting President Weah, it could change depending on the result of the negotiation on behalf of our people. Sen. Prince Y. Johnson, my political leader is not also happy with the government. We are reviewing the MDR’s marriage with the Coalition in terms of what we have benefited as a party.”

Koung repeatedly said his people have been denied opportunities, including jobs in government.

It is however unknown what triggered Senator Koung’s outburst to come public and express his dissatisfaction as well as that of the sanctioned Senator Prince Y. Johnson about the Weah’s administration.

Unconfirmed reports have revealed that some executives of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC) which is a constituent member of the revived Collaboration of Political Parties (CPP) that also has the Liberty Party chaired by Musa Bility as the other constituent member have asked their political leader, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings to think in the direction of Senator Jeremiah Koung of Nimba County as a potential running mate in the pending 2023 presidential and legislative elections.

According to the reports, the ANC and CPP executives are factoring vote-rich Nimba County into their election equation, and if a prominent son or daughter of the country is named on the CPP ticket as a running mate, could put them into serious contention to clinch the huge votes in the county.

Although incumbent and sanctioned Senator Prince Y. Johnson has always public said he will support President Weah’s re-election bid, the revelation from his colleague and kinsmen, Jeremiah Koung, should be of concern especially, for the governing Coalition for Democratic Change government of President Weah.

From all indications, Nimba County is going to be the serious battleground for votes in 2023 fs far as the presidency is concerned.

A son of Nimba County, Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe has declared their intention to a contest for the presidency. The renowned human rights lawyer and advocate is well known in his county, and with the support of his sister, former Superintendent Edith Gongloe Weh, who has contested the senatorial seat twice and lost, but with a huge following will add impetus to her brother securing large votes from the county.

Though unclear nor verified whether Senator Prince Y. Johnson will actually support President Weah in 2023, but there is the bottleneck, where the United States government warned that anybody or institution doing business with any sanctioned Liberian government official they themselves could risk sanctioned.

It is also unclear whether the CDC will want to rely heavily on the sanctioned Senator Prince Y. Johnson, whom the US government said has always used his influence to have his kinsmen vote for his preferred candidates and when then get paid for personal gains. That was one of the reasons the US government sanctioned Senator Johnson.

Meanwhile, political pundits are of the view that if out of concern about being sanctioned and President Weah decides not to do business with the sanctioned Prince Y. Johnson, the political power of those who control votes in the county will switch to Senator Jeremiah Koung, a political son of Senator Johnson, and also to Cllr. Gongloe, is a renowned human rights lawyer and an older sibling to former Nimba County Superintendent Edith Gongloe Weh.

And if unconfirmed reports floating in the air that some CPP executives are urging their political leader and standard bearer, Alexander Cumming to think about Senator Koung as a potential running mate to him, and if Koung too develops the interest of becoming the second most powerful man in Liberia come 2023, the stakes are high that the publicly-known President Weah’s supporter may want to test the waters and go as a running mate to Cummings.

Bookmakers are watching from the distance as the political maneuvering unfolds ahead of the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.