MONROVIA – Bomi County Senator Sando Dazoe Johnson has expressed regrets over his decision taken to canvass for President George Manneh Weah during the campaign period of the 2017 general and presidential elections.
Report by Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
Senator Johnson, who is seeking re-election in the ensuing December 2020 senatorial election, is an Executive Committee member of the opposition All Liberian Party (ALP).
He was the former spokesperson of the family of ex-Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor, and an executive of the former governing National Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, President Weah has failed to live up to the commitment made to Liberians during the campaign period.
Senator Johnson made these comments in a telephone interview with FrontPage Africa on Tuesday, July 7.
He added that the Liberian Chief Executive continues to trend similar path of past leaders of the country, something which he claims, is responsible for the decline in the improvement of citizens’ wellbeing.
“I have some regrets for campaigning for the CDC because we thought that George Weah could have done it differently as compare to other past regimes. But I think he’s worst. He has not been able to tackle corruption. Corruption is the order of the day in Liberia”.
“Lawlessness is also the order of the day. Liberia is a country where people take the law into their hands and the government cannot do anything to solve those problems. I think it is a regret that we supported them”.
Apology to citizens
Senator Johnson also officially apologized to citizens over his decision taken to campaign for the political leader of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), President George Manneh Weah during the 2017 elections.
“We apologized to our people few months back in Bomi. I told the people that we sincerely apologize. I said it before and I will say it again-we sincerely apologize and we regret the action we took to campaign for President Weah. That is why we have gone to the CPP. We see the CPP as the best alternative to redeem Liberia from where we are”.
The CPP factor
For more than a year now, Senator Johnson has been aligning with the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
The Bomi County Senator disclosed that several sagas prompted his lack of support for the administration of President George Manneh Weah.
He named some of those sagas as reports of the missing billion Liberian bank notes, the controversial US$25M mop-up exercise and the ‘unconstitutional’ removal of former Associate Justice Kabinah Ja’neh, among others.
Senator Johnson indicated that these sagas or happenings show that the CDC led-government has no real interest in the growth and development of the country.
“From the beginning of the missing L$16b and the US$25M, I took a different trend because I knew these people were not serious. It’s not because of the elections I took a different trend. I left because they were not living up to what we voted them. I took a new turn and started collaborating with the CPP and other like-minded opposition political parties”.
“We’ve been comparing opposition political notes prior to the upcoming election. They are trying to pick a candidate against me, but I have already made up my mind to not stay with them any longer”.
“I have some regrets for campaigning for the CDC because we thought that George Weah could have done it differently as compare to other past regimes. But I think he’s worst. He has not been able to tackle corruption. Corruption is the order of the day in Liberia”.
– Senator Sando Johnson, NPP, Bomi County
Snowe is no threat
Representative Edwin Snowe, a strong executive of the former ruling Unity Party (UP) tendered in his resignation from the party that brought him to the lampstand and won him the speakership in 2006.
“After careful evaluation of the current political state of the party and considering the perspectives I have envisioned for my political future, I have come to the conclusion that my aspirations no longer align with the party’s ideologies and therefore tender my resignation from the membership of the Unity Party”, he stated in a letter of resignation addressed to acting UP Chairman Isaac Mannah on July 1.
There has been mounting speculations in the county that Representative Snowe is planning to contest the ensuing senatorial election to unseat Senator Johnson.
But Senator Johnson vowed not to give credence to the former Montserrado County lawmaker.
“I am not going to dignify what Snowe is on because he is not a threat to my re-election. There is nothing to worry about him. My worry was for the CPP to choose me; and the CPP did that. That’s what I wanted”.
“I still enjoy the trust and confidence of my people. If I didn’t have that belief, I was not going to venture”
Plea to Weah
Meanwhile, the Bomi Count Senator has urged President Weah to ‘redirect his course of action” to again win the minds and aspirations of those who elected him at the helm of power.
He urged the Liberian leader to muster the courage to reshuffle his officials to weed out under-performers in his government.
“If President Weah does not do what is required for him to do now, It might be too late for him. He still has come chances determine that he will be able to listen to some advices”.
“If he (Weah) doesn’t put in those people who supposed to help him-not necessarily on the basis of partisan line because there are lot of situations. He should put this country above everybody or anything else. He should act as a President, forget about the party issues, and look at where he wants the country to go. He could have some chances if he brings on board people who can help him”.
Senator Johnson maintained that President Weah should also weed out corrupt officials from his government.
“There are people who in government that should not be there because they are not making any meaningful contribution or helping the system. They are there for themselves, families and associates. This is very dangerous. And so, Mr. Weah needs to turn around and bring on board people who are determined, committed and have the passion to do the work for the Liberian people”.
“President Weah must not necessarily be the problem, but those that are associated with him. Those he has trust in are not delivering anything and at the end of the day-whatever the unit does, the commander takes the blame”.
Senator Johnson, however, disclosed that despite his political transfer his relationship with the standard bearer of the NPP, Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, remains strong and cordial.
“The Vice President is experienced, educated and she is a mother. Our relationship is ok. In fact, we compare notes every day”.