Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) says it has rejected President George Weah’s request to have a meeting with Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson.
On Sunday morning, Senator Johnson had earlier informed the National Executive Committee of the MDR that President Weah had requested a visit to his Duport Road residence.
Speaking with reporters over the weekend, MDR National Vice Chair for Press and Public Affairs Kelvin Matadi disclosed that the party has rejected the Liberian leader’s quest to have a meeting with their vision bearer, Senator Johnson even though this could not be independently confirmed by officials of the ruling CDC.
According to Matadi, the party endorsed the rejection of Senator Johnson to meet President Weah, stressing that such a gathering has the propensity to undermine ongoing discussions of the MDR and the opposition community.
Last week, Thursday, February 16 social media bustled with reports that former Vice President Joseph Boakai and Nimba County senator, Prince Y. Johnson met at the home of the opposition Unity Party (UP) in the Rehab Community in Paynesville.
According to the reports, Senator Johnson’s visit was intended to seek a safe haven, having been sanctioned by the US Treasury and warned that nobody should business with them, amid reportedly being neglected by the ruling CDC government of President Weah.
Senator Johnson, a former gorilla combat fighter, a seasoned warlord, and politician-turned-overnight- preacher, has been regarded as a kingmaker in previous elections held in Liberia since 2005.
In 2005, the former warlord following his return to Liberia from exile where he had sought refuge having been over-run by Charles Taylor rebel National Patriotic Forces of Liberia (NPFL) during the infamous 1992 attack on Monrovia, decided to join former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s Unity Party and contest for one of the Senatorial seats in Nimba County.
But when the former warlord lost the primary, he decided to go independent and subsequently won with landslide in Nimba County, due to what his kinsmen described as protecting them during the Liberian civil war.
In the 2005 presidential runoff, Senator-elect Prince Y. Johnson gave his support to Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) candidate George Weah, but UP’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won the runoff to become Liberia and Africa’s first elected female president. In 2011, Senator Johnson then switched allegiance and supported Mrs. Sirleaf’s Unity Party as she won her 2nd term with Joseph Boakai still continuing as her Vice President.
In 2017, the game changed as Prince Y. Johnson decided to support opposition leader, George Weah and former Senator Jewel Howard Taylor, an election they eventually won overwhelmingly defeating the incumbent Unity Party, this time headed by Joseph Boakai who had become its standard bearer after 12 years serving as Vice President.
In 2017 despite former Vice President Boakai visiting Senator Prince Johnson to seek his support, the Nimba Senator chose George Weah’s CDC.
With the 2023 October elections being critical to Liberia, Senator Johnson is said to be seeking to support any opposition presidential candidate that might assure him of protection with calls by many Liberians for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia for reported atrocities committed during the 14-year civil war.
There have been reports that the CDC government had been reneging to ask the international community to support the War and Economic Crimes Court due to Senator Johnson reportedly playing a key role to have Weah elected in 2021.
It is not however known, whether Senator Prince Johnson has any intention to visit another key opposition forerunner for the presidential election in October, Alexander Cummings as the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) political leader and standard bearer has publicly called for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for alleged atrocities committed during the 14-year civil war.
Reports say Senator Johnson who was sanctioned by the U.S Treasury for engaging in pay-for play-act for personal gains at the detriment of his Nimba kinsmen, dashed by the ruling Party and was described as a blackmailer by President Weah is politically tied knots with Boakai’s Unity Party.
Unconfirmed reports had it that the pair discussed a wide range of issues, including running mate slot, coalition possibilities, and distribution of jobs if all goes well. The meeting was fruitful and held at the Home of the former VP Joe, according to the reports.
Earlier, before the meeting with Boakai, controversial Evangelist and Senator of Nimba County in January 2023, threatened to dump President George Weah in the ensuing general legislative and presidential elections.
Senator Johnson speaking to scores of partisans from the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), during a program making the distribution of motorbikes for 15 counties coordinators of Nimba Union across Liberia, Senator Prince Johnson stated that the CDC-led government has vehemently refused to remit the Social Development Funds, from the concession of ArcelorMittal to Nimba county for nearly six years.
Senator Johnson told partisans of MRD that apart from Nimba County, none of the three counties (Bing, Grand Bassa, and Nimba) targeted under the AML Concession County social Department Funds have received a cent from the Weah’s government.
Touching on President Weah’s planned visit to Nimba county, Senator Johnson said it was unfortunate for the government to dish out $25,000 to partisans of the CDC in Nimba county chapter for the Weah-2023 reelection bid when monies owed the county was yet unsettled.
He reminded President Weah that the amount of crowd design would rescue him come 2023.
“No matter of monies you paid to bring crowd, I tell you this, if you f**k with me, I will dump you!” PYJ told MDR supporters.
