By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba County
A vehicle in the campaign convoy of Senator Prince Yormie Johnson has been allegedly attacked and destroyed by a group of aggrieved young people in Gbor Wehplay Town, electoral district#4, Nimba County.
The vehicle destroyed was the last to leave the town, carrying children of Senator Johnson. Following the attacks, one of the children rushed to the senator and informed him of the violence allegedly by the youth of Gbor Wehplay Town. No casualty was reported.
The incident occurred when Senator Johnson accompanied the vice standard bearer of the Unity Party, Senator Jeremiah Koung, on a campaign trail to the county.
Sen. Koung is standard bearer of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) is in a political marriage with UP Presidential Candidate, former Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai.
According to eyewitnesses, both senators had gone to the hometown of District#4 Representative, Gunpue L. Kargon to campaign for the Rescue Ticket of the UP that carries Ambassador Boakai and Sen. Koung. As they left the town for Bahn district, a group of young people allegedly stoned and destroyed one of the vehicles in the senators’ campaign convoy that specifically belongs to Senator Johnson.
The cause of the attack was not immediately established but eyewitnesses narrate that the two senators entered the town and asked citizens not to reelect the CDC government and Rep. Kargon, on grounds that Liberians are experiencing extreme hardship under the Weah administration amid alleged misuse of public funds.
Rep. Gunpue joined the CDC subsequently this year following his expulsion by the MDR, so to have gone to his hometown to campaign against him, eyewitnesses say was provoking.
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The senators also lamented drug abuse among young people across the country, among others that they blamed on lack of will by the government.
There has been no arrest since the alleged attack but reports from the town say youth that were allegedly involved, have crossed to neighboring Ivory Coast for fear of arrest.
“We were in the town when Senator Jeremiah Koung and Senator Prince Johnson entered the town from Karnplay City. We welcomed them and listened to their speeches, encouraging us to abandon our mission [decision] to support the re-election of President George Weah and Representative Gunpue L. Kargon, whose hometown they had gone”, one eyewitness explained.
Since PYJ and Koung embarked on a 10-day tour of all 19 administrative districts in Nimba, they have asked Nimbaians not to support the re-election of President Weah, because he has brought untold suffering on the people with drugs taking over the entire country, destroying the youth.
Speaking to the NEW DAWN, Representative Kargon said he was not physically present in the district when the incident occurred.
He expressed sorrow to Senator Johnson and called on young people in his district to desist from violence.
Meanwhile, political debate among young people in Soe-Vanyanglay town has led to the death of a 32-year-old man.
The late Aloysius Bahn who had reportedly undergone surgery, was pronounced dead at the G.W. Harly Hospital in Sanniqullie.
Family members told this paper that their brother was suffering from hernia, and during the debate, he was hit in his stomach by Suspects Anthony Saye and Patay Flahn.
He was rushed to the hospital in Sanniqullie where another surgery was performed, spending two nights before his death.
The debate got heated after the deceased asked Anthony Saye and Patay Flahn about a decision taken by former lawmaker now Chair of the Governance Commission, Garrison Yealue, Jr., who supported the opposition Unity Party in past election but currently supports the ruling CDC.
The violence in Vanyanglay town brings to four the number of attacks in the town including the burning of rice farms and other properties, among others. Editing by Jonathan Browne
