PHOTO: Sen. Jeremiah Koon (Left) smiles, as Sen. Prince Johnson presents him as MDR new Standard Bearer
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
GANTA, Liberia– Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson has officially handed the gavel of authority to Senator Jeremiah Koon as the new standard bearer of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR).
Senator Johnson, a former warlord during the 14 years of Liberian civil war, is now under United States Government sanction and he announced he was stepping aside from the leadership of MDR on Thursday evening during the MRD convention here in Nimba’s commercial city.
His move comes weeks after US Ambassador to Liberia, Michael McCarthy warned people against doing business with former and present Liberian officials facing American sanctions, including Sen. Johnson.
“I think it’s important to draw our attention back to the Treasury Department’s statement, specifically its notification that persons that engage in certain transactions with these sanctioned individuals “may themselves be exposed to sanctions or subject to an enforcement action,” said Ambassador in November this year.
The US diplomat also sent out a caveat to Liberian voters about thinking twice about voter such sanctioned individuals into office during next year, 2023 elections.
Speaking during the handing over of the authority as political leader of the MDR to his Senate colleague, Senator Johnson attributed his decision to his age at 70, saying that he thought it was time to hand over the mantle of power to a younger person.
But the former Independent National Patriotic Front (INPFL) rebel leader is not abandoning his desire to contest in 2023 for the third term as Senator of Nimba County.
According to him, he has handed over the standard bearer post to Sen. Koon in order to focus on his campaign to serve the third term campaign as senator. But with less than ten months to the polls and in the wake of the US government’s caveat, many are watching to see whether Sen. Johnson will actually show up on the ballot on October 10, 2023.
Members of the national leadership elected at the 2nd national convention
The MDR founder and controversial Nimba County Senator told the party’s convention that he cannot leave Nimba County vulnerable, as such, he said he will be busy with the task of campaigning to retain his seat at the Liberian Senate.
Sen. Johnson described Sen. Koon as the rightful person to occupy the standard bearer of the MDR because he understands when ‘I say got damn it.’
Prince Y. Johnson first emerged as the political leader of the National Union for Democratic Progress, but he abandoned after several of its leaders and elected officials rebelled against him and he later formed what is today the MDR.
After establishing the MDR, he entered into an agreement with the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in which several partisans were appointed in government.
Receiving the gavel of authority, Sen. Jeremiah Koon said his ascendency to the standard bearer ship of the MDR was based on hard work and dedication to his people
He assured members of the MDR of the confidence repose in him by the delegates and Senator Johnson to steer the party as standard bearer.
Sen. Koon maintained that his success in the MDR is based on hard work, respect for elders and thoughtful utterances especially to older people
Others elected to lead MRD
Meanwhile, the second national convention of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction has ended with the election of the new corps of officers to run the affairs of the party for a six-year term.
Some of the delegates of the MDR at the 2nd national convention
Those elected were Counselor Cooper Kruah, National Chairman; Shadrach Shars, National Vice Chairman for Administration and Nelson Wolo, National Vice Chairman for Mobilization. Melvin Yealue, National Secretary General;
Speaking shortly after their induction, the newly elected National Chairman, Counselor Cooper Kruah, assured delegates that the newly inducted leadership will do all it can to make the MDR one of the leading political parties in the country.
According to him, the MDR will remain a law abiding political party because its members respect laws of the land.
The convention, held under the theme: “Rebranding for Critical Decision Making,” brought delegates from all over the country.
The election of new MDR leadership comes against the background of statements by Senator Johnson expressing disappointment of the George Weah-led government for not appointing from Nimba County in senior government position
Nimba County is a vote-rich area with the second in ranking interim voting population after Montserrado County and it is widely believed to be the ‘king maker’.