FLASHBACK: Sen. Prince Y. Johnson in (jubilant mood) decided to dress this way during the December 2020 Special Senatorial elections campaign
With the deepening political division in Liberia’s northeastern Nimba County surrounding controversial Senator Prince Y. Johnson, some citizens from Nimba have come up in support of him, as reported by Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com.
Some people hailing from Nimba County and its surroundings are calling on the United States government to avoid Liberian politics and forget about their, senator Johnson.
Because of alleged acts of significant corruption and his role in the 14 years Liberian civil war, the US Embassy in Monrovia recently announced that the US Treasury Department was sanctioning Senator Johnson, who is former warlord.
But the group of Nimbaians said over the weekend that they have to re-elect their senator, PYJ for the third time in the 2023 elections, despite the US sanctions.
The citizens’ comments come week after United States declared the sanctioning of Senator Johnson for corruption and other human rights violations.
(L-R) Sen. Johnson and US Embassy logo
In a radio talk show conducted at by a local community Radio Sehnwai in Nimba County’s capital, Sanniquellie, the callers said their Senator is not the only person who is corrupt in Liberia and that the US Treasury Department should investigate the alleged hospital built by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in South Africa and those who ate millions of dollars in Liberia.
One of the callers, Richard Gbar said that the United States government is trying to make Senator Johnson popular, when there are Liberians more corrupt and criminal than their senator Johnson.
Another caller, Solomon Gontee outright dismissed the Americans’ sanctions threat, saying that Liberia “was colonized by the American Colonization Society and they have had “no impact”.
According to Mr. Gontee, people of Nimba will surely retain their senator come 2023.
Also another Nimbaian, Robert Mah told the radio talk show ‘citizens in Nimba County should not allow sympathy to supersede their interest,’ adding that the US Treasury Department’s report on Senator Johnson is not only meant for senator Johnson but for everyone.
However, another caller, Lincoln Payee maintained that Sen. Johnson is one of obstacles for Nimba County and he continues to see the county down-fall through his selfish gains and whatever he (Senator Johnson) says should be the final.
Joseph Sayou, another radio talk show caller said that the US report on Sen. Johnson is politics in a sense that they want to sanction the government of President Weah and to get rid of the popular people who are supporting the government, so Senator Johnson can’t contest fthe 2023 election.
Mr. Sayou claimed that the US government wants to cripple the government of President Weah, so they want to get rid of Sen. Johnson, pointing out that corruption is everywhere which starts from the homes. And if the US government wanted to fight corruption, they should have done it long time before arriving at this point, Sayou said.
Fred B. Richard, another caller explained that Liberians are hard to learn and quick to forget, especially when Sen. Johnson rescued 37 children from St. Paul Bridge near Monrovia and took them to the Island Clinic during civil war in Liberia. He said he fed them at the end he (Johnson) even started killing his own soldiers for the sake for civilians to get food.
Mr. Richard claimed that the US government wants to see Senator Johnson out of his position when, according to him, “Sen. Johnson did extremely well for them (Nimbains).”
Another radio caller, Alex Williams claimed that the US Treasury Department’s report against Sen. Johnson was sponsored by Liberians based in the US, because 2023 is coming and so they want to get rid of this current regime of President Weah.
He maintained that Sen. Johnson is not the only one who fought war in Liberia, and called on US government to avoid Liberian politics.
Another caller, Nyanwon P. Garteh took a different position.
Mr. Garteh said that the US press release against Sen. Johnson is a decision where majority countries are signatories to. And more besides, he said the US government is helping Liberia to fight corruption and let the citizens of Nimba County stop saying it is a political witch hunt.
But for Tetoe Gontee, he questioned the US government’s sanctions move, urging the Americans to investigate former President Sirleaf’s son who reportedly mismanaged NOCAL money and allegedly hospital built a hospital in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the pro-Prince Johnson Nimbaians say the sanctions by US government against their Senator has no impact on him, because their senator has no history of traveling to the United States, neither does he have bank account or properties.