By Lincoln G. Peters
Several residents of Nimba County have vowed to reject the re-election bid of Nimba County Senator Prince Yormie Johnson affectionately called PYJ and any other presidential candidate he will present to them seeking their support in the upcoming 2023 presidential and general elections.
Those interviewed in the country by our reporter during a recent tour there have accused Senator Johnson of allegedly commercializing their votes as well as the vote – Rich County for his personal gains.
Residents in Zoe Town, Nimba County District #4, complained that for too long Senator Johnson, who will be completing his second nine years term in 2023, has been commercializing Nimba County politically by making contracts for its people.
A former feared Liberian rebel general, Senator Johnson uses his war-time glory to sweep votes throughout his county during elections periods, and sometimes appears to dictate his kinsmen’s decision-making by instilling fear in them that he might not defend them again in a time of crisis if they did not follow his advice to vote him or his choice of a presidential candidate.
But some residents have told our reporter that during election periods, Senator Johnson always allegedly takes money from other presidential aspirants for his personal use and brings the person to them for their votes.
“Senator Prince Johnson is responsible for the suffering that the people of Nimba County are going through under this administration because he has caused us to sell our votes which represent our rights many times,” one resident said.
“He was the same person who took money from President George Manneh Weah in 2017 and brought him to us when his money finished.”
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J. Aloysius Bahn, a resident of District #4 in Nimba County explained during an interview with our reporter that it’s because Senator Johnson feels that he fought for them in Nimba County so he is in the habit of constantly making a business out of their votes whenever there is an election.
Mr. Bahn further alleged that Senator Johnson has been collecting funds from other politicians without voters’ knowledge in the county during election periods, and those he often presents to Nimbaians are always not in the county’s interest.
“In 2017 he presented to us President George Manneh Weah for us to vote and we voted [for] him. However, we didn’t know that we were making errors … because of the respect we have for him,” Bahn noted.
He claimed that the county is suffering and nothing has been done by the President and Senator Johnson to address the hardship in the county and country at large.
However, Bahn noted that while they suffer, Senator Johnson benefits because he got money from their votes that he allegedly sold in 2017.
“No good roads in the county. We have no means to get an upgraded medical facility in the county where we can seek treatment and be well. The mountain in our county, we are not benefiting from it,” he said.
“2023 we will not vote Senator Prince Johnson and any other person he will bring to us in the upcoming presidential and general elections”, Mr. Bahn vowed.
Also speaking, Abraham Kergongor Gbangaye, a resident of Loelay Town, and Madam Gweh Karnusama from the Concerned Women of Zakulay expressed regret for having voted for the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government headed by President Weah.
According to them, the current hardship that is in the country which continues to remain unaddressed is something that is alarming.
They pointed out that there are no good schools for children in other rural parts of Nimba, adding that before they get quality education and good medical attention, they have to travel to Ganta City and Karnplay.
“We have resolved that we will not vote [for] Senator Prince Johnson and anybody he will bring to us comes 2023,” the Nimbaians said.
“We will look for one of our sons and stand with them instead of going behind someone that Senator Prince Johnson will present to us for his personal interest and income,” they noted.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/pyj-campaigns-in-nimba/
