By Lincoln G. Peters
Longstanding Nimba County political godfather and Senator Prince Y. Johnson is facing a political revolt by some of his kinsmen in their bid to crown a new political godfather.
The Nimbaians, particularly members of a newly launched group named ‘Nimba for Weah 2023,’ has recommended Dr. Peter Weato as Nimba County’s new political point of contact instead of Mr. Johnson.
Over the weekend, the group selected Weato as their political gateway to the county, disregarding Johnson, their longstanding political godfather who had enjoyed their loyalty due to his rebel-era glory.
A former rebel leader, Senator Johnson is notorious for overseeing the gruesome murder of then-sitting president Samuel Kanyon Doe during Liberia’s civil war.
Senator Prince Johnson -regarded as Nimba County Political Godfather
Through the support of the majority of the voting-age residents of Nimba County, Johnson has served as kingmaker in previous elections that helped former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and incumbent President George Manneh Weah win their turns during run-offs.
In each political support Johnson has given presidential candidates, he faced accusations of allegedly trading Nimbaians’ votes for his financial gains.
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Amid unsolved differences with Mr. Weah, Senator Johnson has broken political ties with the incumbent and has allegedly laid out some demands for his support to opposition leader Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s presidential bid.
He is seen as the engineer to have his kinsman Senator Jeremiah Koung as a potential running mate to Amb. Boakai in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections.
But some of Senator Johnson’s kinsmen appear to break away from him ahead of this year’s elections as they project Dr. Weato as their political contact.
The chairman of the group ‘Nimba for Weah 2023’ Mr. Shadrach G. Thomas Dokie said they are excited to announce Dr. Weato as the new political contact and gateway for the people of Nimba County.
“We have come to inform you, Mr. President, that after this election when Nimba County shall have given President Weah a resounding one-round victory, we can now walk to him and say, Mr. President, we were the ones that make you president,” said Dokie.
“So we are recommending to your Dr. Peter Weato to serve as one of the biggest doors that our people can pass through to have their problem solved,” Dokie continued.
He boasted that they have a medical doctor and a philanthropist that spends over two hundred thousand from his pocket to make things happen for the county.
“We have over twenty hospitals in Nimba County and many developments through him. And so, there is a need to make Dr. Peter Weato the biggest door in Nimba County,” Dokie said.
“We say no to one door. We can’t be a county that is second in population and has just one … door. So we are saying, we have come as ‘Nimba for Weah 2023’ to open more doors that tomorrow if you can’t use the other, you can have options,” he added.
According to him, Lofa County and several other counties are having numerous access and political contacts to the presidency and attracting developments and opportunities.
However, Dokie claimed that it’s unfortunate that Nimba doesn’t have a good relationship with the presidency.
” Today, if you leave from Lofa County and come to Monrovia, you have so many doors that are open from Lofa County that can link you to the presidency,” he noted.
He stated that you can pass through Monrovia Mayor Jefferson Koijee, Montserrado Representative Thomas Fallah, Montserrado Senator Saah Joseph, and ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Chairman Mulbah Morlu.
He also named the President’s Chief of Protocol Madam Finda Bundo, among others, as Lofa County’s links to the presidency.
“Each of those people serves as a gate to the opportunity of their county and citizens,” he stated.
“But today, in Nimba County, we have just one door of opportunity to the Presidency. If you want something to happen for you and that one door can’t do it, you are finished,” said Dokie. –Edited by Winston W. Parley
