PYJ picks Boakai

At long last Senator Prince Yormie Johnson of Nimba County has publicly declared his support for the Presidential bid of Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai ahead of 2017.

This paper had earlier reported that Senator Johnson, a former Presidential candidate himself, has been in merger talks with VP Boakai. He founded the National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP and contested for the Presidency in 2011, coming third and eventually gave his support to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the runoff, describing her as “lesser of two evils” against George Weah’s Congress for Democratic Change or CDC.

That decision by Johnson absolutely decapitated the CDC, which went against the governing Unity Party in the runoff with its tail between its legs.  However, PYJ was subsequently booted out of the NUDP following increasing allegations of receiving huge money from Madam Sirleaf, a claim he has persistently denied.

But speaking on State broadcaster or the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) in Paynesville outside of Monrovia, Senator Johnson said he prefers Vice President Boakai among the many aspirants for the Presidency in 2017.

Johnson, who is in the process of organizing a new political party, said VP Boakai has the requisite qualifications, experience, and education to become a productive leader if he is given the opportunity at the ballot box.

According to him, he and his supporters will not pledge allegiance to a young, immature and unqualified candidate for the nation’s highest seat.  He said after protracted period of bitter civil wars coupled with serious difficulties being faced by majority of the Liberian people; it would be unthinkable for Liberians to even think about a young president, especially, one who lacks leadership ability.

“That is a nice question; who I will support for the presidency? I too am in the race; if not given the opportunity, I prefer Vice President Joe Boakai. The Vice President has the leadership qualifications. I think he has served this country so well. I and my supporters will not follow any young, immature, inexperienced and lack of education person for the presidency. Liberians have suffered so long and if, I’m not given the opportunity to serve my people at the level of the presidency, Vice President Boakai, who is also President of the Liberian Senate, should take the stage,” he said.

He bragged that the Liberian Senate is endowed with qualified and committed leaders, who can lead the country to higher heights.

Already, at least four names have emerged for Presidency, including Vice President Joseph Boakai, Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine of the Liberty Party, Senators Prince Johnson of Nimba and George Weah of Montserrado Counties, respectively. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor – Editing by Jonathan Browne