I’M STANDING ALONE
Presidential hopeful Prince Yormie Johnson, leader of the newly formed opposition Movement for Democracy and Reconciliation of MDR is like a slippery fish in the water, difficult to catch or pin down due to his increasing inconsistencies.
Like the weather, the Nimba County Senator has become unpredictable in his quest to get to the Executive Mansion, as one moment, he leads a campaign for merger or alliance among political parties, and then next time, he summersaults.
In November 2016, PYJ led a conference of more the one dozen political parties in Ganta, Nimba County where a declaration was signed by political leaders dubbed the “Ganta Declaration” to form merger with aimed of reducing proliferation of parties ahead of the October presidential and representative elections.
But in a 60 degree turnaround, the MDR leader says he has no intention to join anyone to contest in the coming polls, vowing to go along.
Senator Johnson made the shocking revelation on 4th February when he addressed hundreds of citizens in the Borough of New Kru Town, who had jammed packed the Gbarpleh Field in electoral district #16.
He had earlier expressed support for the candidacy of Vice President Joseph Boakai, who he described as mature and better educated. Another time he danced with businessman-turned politician Benoni Urey of the All Liberian Party, and recently graced the official opening of the headquarters of the Liberty Party of Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine, stressing the need for opposition parties here to form a strong bloc to oust the ruling UP at the polls.
PYJ told residents of New Kru Town that his visit there was to re-assure them of his previous commitment to lead the MDR to victory in October, adding that a MDR-led government is the only alternative to bringing about necessary changes that would improve the lives of ordinary Liberians.
His statement followed questions from some of prominent citizens of the borough, who wanted to know whether he was interested in merging with any political party for the pending elections.
The visit of the MDR political leader was intended to galvanize citizens’ support in his bid to win the presidency, which he lost in 2011 when he came third in the polls against the governing Unity Party and the Congress for Democratic Change.
However, the leader of the disbanded rebels Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) subsequently became kingmaker in the runoff poll between the UP and the CDC when he gave his support to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, whom he described as “lesser of two evils.”
Speaking further, PYJ admonished residents of New Kru Town not to give credence to people, who he claimswere spreading misinformation about his party in order to confuse their minds and steal their votes on 10th October.
“We as a political party will stand and fight the battle alone, and we will never line ourselves with any other political institution which could dampen the MDR chances of winning these elections”, he asserted.
But at the recent gathering of the opposition Liberty Party (LP) in Sinkor, PYJ said his presence at the occasion was in solidarity of the “Ganta Declaration” which calls for collaboration and cooperation.
Meanwhile, dozens of opposition parties’ supporters who were also part of the political consultation said that the MDR leader could not be trusted because of his inconsistency in the political process.
Meanwhile, citizens of New Kru Town have expressed gratitude to the MDR political leader for the visit, which they said, provided them a clearer picture of his political drive, promising to continue mobilizing fellow residents in ensuring that the MDR becomes victory on 10th October.
By Emmanuel Mondaye -Editing by Jonathan Browne
