IPNEWS: When he made the declaration in late 2022 not to support President George Weah in the ensuing October 2023 polls, many laughed out the pronouncement terming it another scheme for money.
It was reported that his statement was to save face and rejuvenate his favor with Nimbaians by calling on the government to pay social development funds owed Nimba County for the last five years or President George Weah would stand the risk to be voted against by Nimbaians.
Contrary to those perceptions, Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson has reiterated his desire to campaign against the reelection of incumbent President George Manneh Weah.
In a live televised broadcast via social media, Senator Prince Johnson called on Nimbaians not to succumb to threats by President Weah of dismissal.
Senator Johnson’s statement follows an overnight meeting of eminent Nimba County’s citizens at the EJS Ministerial Complex for a consensus over President Weah’s threat to dismiss all members of Senator Prince Johnson’s inner circle who were appointed into the government of the Coalition for Democratic Change.
During the meeting, Senator Johnson stated that he encouraged Nimbaians to stand their ground in apparent trace to his previous comments that if the government did not settle Nimba County Social Development Fund, the county would vote President Weah out of office come October 2023.
The controversial Nimba Senator stated that if the President goes ahead to dismiss any Nimbaian because of the descent, it would be the most disappointing political decision with catastrophic consequences.
Senator Johnson indicated that those Nimbaians who have recently rallied support for Weah’s second term bid in Monrovia City are doing so because of the money attached to the process.
“So they got to me yesterday (Thursday) at the Ministerial Complex from 3:00 pm to 10:30 last night (Friday); they were in that meeting. What to do, how do we go about this? The President has threatened to dismiss us. So they told me, I called you to let them know all Nimbaians must stand their ground. Let Mr. Weah dismiss you.”
“I was told he dismissed the County inspector, the City Mayor, the Statutory Superintendent. Let him dismiss them, and we will stand our ground, and he will get the major political disappointment in this country”
.“Nimba County has tradition, I will turn Nimba to you. Nimba is not a bully goat that someone can just take over. The two top Senators, including the father (Senator Johnson) of the county, want to hear from me, so I call on all of them to join behind ‘rescue one’ (Joseph N. Boakai) and support whoever he will pick.” Senator Prince Johnson stated.
Senator Prince Y. Johnson, a long-time ally of President Weah who supported the incumbent President during the 2017 elections, previously accused the Weah-led government of plotting an assassination attempt on his life.
He, however, said that his lack of support for Weah ahead of the October 10 polls is due to his government’s multiple corruption allegations, mischievous deaths, and other issues that remain unsolved.
