By J. Yekeh F. Kwaytah
Senator Prince Johnson who helped ex-football star George Weah win a landslide victory in 2017 has parted company with the ruling Coalition For Democratic Change citing betrayal and withholding of funding to his county.
Johnson alleges President Weah has sidestepped terms and conditions of a certain political deal agreed with his Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction. In October the MDR will not back Weah for a second-term in office, he told worshippers at the Christ Chapel of Faith in Monrovia.
“Change this nation democratically through your votes,” Johnson, notorious for his atrocious role in the country’s civil war said.
“Don’t be intimidated or threatened by anyone. Liberia depends on you.”
President Weah has replied the Nimba County Senator calling him a killer, blackmailer, beggar and crook.
“If you don’t want to work with us step aside,” he said.
“Anybody that wants to vote for us will vote for us. And anybody that is going to ask me for money because they want to declare their support to my party, I rather give the money to the people of Liberia…
“This Government is not going to be tied down or blackmailed by anybody.”
Since the end of the war in 2003, Johnson has used his dominance in vote rich Nimba County to cut political deals basically playing a spoiler role to advantage a leading candidate. Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Weah have been at the benefiting end.
