No Gov’t Reaction Yet, But Opposition CPP Describes MDR’s Claim As “Very Serious”, While UPP Says It’s “roubling
FLASHBACK Sen Prince Johnson and Pres Weah when they were political bedfellows
By Our Staff Writer
A conspiracy theory has flared up in Liberia, just nine months to presidential and legislative elections about an alleged plot to kill a former warlord-turned Senator Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba County, a claim that has triggered reactions from two leading opposition political parties–UP and CPP.
“There are plans by the George Weah government to assassinate our founder and vision bearer, Senator Prince Johnson. We received this intelligence from a highly placed source,” said Wollo, Vice Chairman for Recruitment of Mr. Johnson’s Movement for Reconstruction and Development (MRD) this week.
The MDR’s claim comes many days after Sen. Johnson himself told the Voice of American (VOA) that since he decided to withdraw his support from President Manneh Weah and his ruling CDC ahead of the October 10 election, his life has allegedly been threatened.
Although his party has not given details of the alleged plot to kill Johnson, who led one of Liberia’s rebel factions in the years of civil war (INPFL), the MDR Vice Chairman said in a statement at a news conference:
“There are plans by the George Weah government to assassinate our founder and vision bearer, Senator Prince Johnson. We received this intelligence from a high-placed source. Liberia is enjoying democracy and peace and [we] do not want anything that will disturb this peace and democracy.”
So far, there has been no reaction from the Liberian government or the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of President Weah. It’s still not clear how serious is the threat to the life of the Nimba County Senator, who is currently under US Treasury Sanctions for public corruption and human rights violations.
But two opposition political parties, Unity Party of former Vice President Joseph Boakai and the Collaboration Political Party (CPP) of Alexander Cummings have expressed serious concerns over the MDR’s allegation of a murder plot against Sen. Johnson.
CPP says MDR’s statement “very serious”
A press release from CPP signed by its Secretary General, Cllr. Alloysius Toe, the CPP expressed serious concerns over statements by the leadership of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) that the Government of Liberia is secretly planning to assassinate Senator Prince Y. Johnson, because of criticisms Sen. Johnson made against the President of Liberia, in response to the President’s State of the Na=on Address.
The CPP says it views these statements as very serious, and calls on the Government of Liberia to launch an immediate probe, to ascertain the veracity of the claims, and bring any perpetrator to justice.
The CPP is reminding the Liberian that Sen. Johnson, like any Liberian in general, and any poli=cal leader in particular, has the constitutionally protected right to criticize the government and the President for bad governance, without fear of secret assassination.
At the same time, the CPP is also calling on the government to ensure that Sen. Johnson has adequate security and protection, to guarantee his safety.
UP: “these threats create the stage for electoral violence and voter apathy”
For the former ruling Unity Party of ex-Vice President Joseph Boakai, it worries that such a development could trigger political violence, just nine months to presidential and legislative elections.
“The UP notes that threats on the lives of leaders of the opposition bloc are becoming increasingly concerning as these threats create the stage for electoral violence and voter apathy,” a UP statement said.
The UP is calling on the government of President Weah “to heed to the challenge of Senator Prince Johnson to Publish the turnover note the Unity Part government presented when Weah assumed the helm of the Liberian Presidency.”
Boakai’s UP has further said: “In less than 9 months to the October 10, 2023 Legislative and Presidential elections, Liberians cannot afford to witness any reversion of our already deteriorating security situation. The UP therefore calls on the United Nations, European Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Foreign Embassies to make appropriate diplomatic interventions as the allegation from the MDR seems very grave and could undermine the peace and stability of our nation.”