Kokoyah District, Bong County – Dubbed the kingmaker during the 2011 general and Presidential elections, Price Y. Johnson, who upset some big politicians and managed third place, Tuesday kicked off his 2017 Presidential bid with a caveat against political continuity.
Report by Selma Lomax, [email protected]
Sen. Johnson, who started his campaign in Kokoyah, Bong County, launched attack against several of his fellow contenders including Vice President Joseph Boakai of Unity Party, Liberty Party’s standard bearer Cllr. Charles Brumskine, Ambassador George Weah, standard bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the standard bearer of the All Liberian Party, Benoni Urey.
‘Desperation for Power’ Behind PYJ, Urey Failed collabo
Few months ago, PYJ, as he is called by his supporters and Urey held discussions to form collaboration with a public pronouncement that PYJ Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) and Urey’s ALP were expected to go to convention to select a standard bearer for the collaboration but the collaboration short-lived.
Commenting on the failed collaboration between him and Urey, Johnson said he had wanted forming collaboration with Urey but noticed that the ALP political leader exhibited desperation for power, something he said influenced his decision to break ranks with Urey.
Johnson said: “I decided to collaborate with Benoni Urey but later on I noticed that he was so desperate to become standard bearer without the simplest thought that he has never been tested politically. That’s why I parted company with him,” Johnson said.
Charles Taylor protégé
Johnson described Urey as a protégé of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, saying going into collaboration with him would have signaled negative in the eyes of the electorates.
“Secondly, I couldn’t collaborate with Urey because he is very closed to former President Charles Taylor, who caused the civil war in the country.”
“So, I found it very unnecessary to partner with him on a ticket,” he added.
PYJ denied receiving money from Urey to influence his decision.
“I want to make this emphatically clear that I didn’t receive a penny from Urey before attempting to collaborate with him. My initial decision was in the interest of peace and my desire to team up with someone who has similar dream like me.”
‘Sleepy Boakai is on a mission for Ellen’
Senator Johnson who recently declared that he would support Vice President Boakai for the Presidency because they are both from the majority group is once again accusing the Vice President of serving as a “mission man” for President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Like Alexander Cummings, standard bearer of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), Johnson is calling on Liberians to resist the continuity of the Unity Party-led government by saying “No” to Vice President Joseph Boakai.
“I want to let you know, we are not prepared for continuity in this country.”
He added: “President Sirleaf and Joe Boakai are married politically. So Joseph Boakai is not different from Madam Sirleaf.
“There is nothing better he can do now that he didn’t do in the last 12 years”.
“The future of the country is in your hands. Be mindful of politicians. They will tell you good morning when it is midnight.”
“There are wonderful things happening in Monrovia right now. “
“There are some of our colleagues who have served as vice President of the country for 12 years and there is nothing to show. I want to admonish you my fellow Liberians, reject Joseph Boakai at the ballot box October 10,” Johnson said.
Johnson claimed the 12 years Boakai served as vice President were ruined by his alleged involvement in the failed ADA project in his (Boakai’s) native town of Foya.
“Boakai is the same as President Sirleaf”.
The both of them are corrupt. Boakai’s corruption records are as clear as Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf,” he added.
The MDR political leader furthered: “As vice President he has not done anything then he wants us to elect him as President. We are not fools anymore.”
Johnson said Liberia needs middle-aged leader who has the potential to lead a country, claiming that Boakai, standard bearer of the Unity Party, is not medically fit to lead Liberia. “From the look of things Joseph Boakai is medically unfit to lead Liberia.”
“We don’t lead a leader who sleeps in public. When we elect Boakai President he will go to the United Nations convention and be sleeping while his colleagues be discussing,” Johnson said.
George Weah must step aside
Commenting on the arrival of a helicopter brought into the country by Senator George Weah, standard bearer of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Johnson said it was time Weah steps aside from the Presidential race and focus his attention to the Liberia Football Association.
“Everyone has his area and Senator Weah’s area is soccer, that which we know. The presidency is not for George Weah.
He won all almost the top accolades during his days on the pitch which brought honor to Liberia.
“George Weah needs to understand that politics is different from football. Bringing helicopter to the country can’t change anything.”
“It just defeats the argument that George Weah is not for the masses,” he said.
Continuing, he added: “George Weah brought to the country a private helicopter to move from place to place when there are bad roads in the country, our people are struggling to get to one place to another.”
“But for me I will go by road, we will go in every county. If we get stock up, we will push our car like the ordinary citizens are pushing their cars.”
According to Johnson, it is good to value people by what they have done and continue to do and not base on mere academic degrees.
“I got my good friend, my junior brother, George Weah.
He has brought prestige to this country in the area of football.
He is an international football icon. He won World Best, European Best, African Best, all but there is nothing to show about that in his own country over the years”.
Johnson said he would campaign on his records established over the years, noting that he won’t use billboards.
‘They invest too much in billboards from the tax payers’ money but for me I won’t put up billboards because my records over the years will speak for me.”
“My bill boards will be my achievements over the years. We want to kill corruption because it can’t build the nation,” he said
Unity Party defectors pollute Liberty Party
Commenting on Liberty Party, the Nimba County senator said the ideology of the party has been diluted by the arrivals of ex-Unity Party partisans Musa Bility and vice standard bearer Harrison Karnwea.
“Liberty Party is not a bad party but elements of the Unity Party have been migrating to the Liberty Party, thereby diluting the party. The whole Liberty Party is now polluted by ex-officials of the Unity Party,” he said.
As a former warlord, Johnson urged ex-soldiers, Police and immigration officers to rally behind his candidacy, noting that he is the only candidate who understands their plights.
“I fought war just how some of you people fought war. “
“If I am elected President, I won’t forget you people because I am the only candidate in the race who knows your problem.”
“Joseph Boakai doesn’t know what ex-soldiers want, widows of ex-soldiers,” he said.
“All the former combatants, no help. All the ex-soldiers that they disgraced no help.”
“No politician can help you unless someone of your own category”
“The Police that was disgraced, the immigration that was disgraced by forceful retirement, much attention must be given to them and I believe no politician can do it for them unlike someone of their kind”.
Johnson calls for non-violence election
Sen. Johnson urged his supporters to remain calm and not to revert to violence during the campaign.
“This is a very crucial election. Be peaceful. Don’t throw stones to anyone. Don’t throw stones at anyone. Demonstrate your anger through the ballot box on October”.
Sen. Johnson said he will never return to the bush to pick up arms even if he becomes disenchanted with the result of the election or anything in the country.”
“I will never resort to violence if he doesn’t win the election in October.
“The presidency is not my entitlement.”
“We want peace, though I fought war, but there is no way I will revert to the bushes in retaliation to a decision that will be arrived at on October 10. I am a pastor now and I am into education.”
Sen. Johnson, who was the head of the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), said he regrets to form part of the civil war that killed over 250,000 Liberians.
“There are better ways we can disagree now rather than taking up arms. Those days are gone.”