Nimba County – Senator Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba County is still fighting a battle to repair his image as a former warlord.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah – [email protected]
“We did not come to this country by force with machine gun all because we were blood thirsty and to those critics of ours, we say continue to criticize and we will grow stronger.
I want to remind them that government’s death squad used our taxes to buy weapon and slaughter our people in cold blood and raped our mothers and children in the presence of all of us and asked us to leave our county, we had to fight back.
Are we murderers when we fight for our own protection, where were the people who are calling for world crime court?” Senator Johnson asked rhetorically.
According to him, he finds it unfortunate that people whom he helped gain some level of political prominence will oppose his quest for the presidency.
“Today in Liberia a lot of people who do not appreciate the good things God has done for them call me a murderer, a killer, but let me say to these blind people, everyone in life has his or her own record,” Johnson stated.
Senator was speaking over the weekend when residents of Kpatuo Town in Nimba County honored him.
His kinsmen said their appreciation was as a result of his effort in protecting them during the war.
He wondered why people keep pointing fingers at him for participating in the civil war only because he wants to contest the presidency. He made reference to several past Presidents who partook in war and later became President.
“Thomas Jefferson fought war and became President, George Bush fought a bitter civil war and became President, Abraham Bambageda overthrew, executed so many people and became head of state of Nigeria,” Senator Johnson recalled.
He said his intention to join the revolution was due to oppression and constant suppression of his kinsmen by government.
He challenged the international community to cite him at the International Criminal Court if they believe his participation in the civil unrest was unnecessary.
“This is my very last time talking about this war crime court; where were the American people? Where were those people who called themselves human rights group? They are paid to talk foolishness.
“We stood in defense of our people and they must stop making empty noise and go ahead and build their own lies,” Senator Johnson asserted in a strong tone.
He admonished Nimbaians to be mindful while electing a leader during the elections in October, registering his position for the nation’s highest seat.
The Nimba County lawmaker and Liberian Presidential hopeful believes the October elections would serve as liberation for his kinsmen, if they made their decision in his favor.
According to him, the time has come for the majority to take charge of the Liberian presidency.
“This is the time for the majority. The minority will get job, but they should forget about the highest seat.”
He said the minority had never served under native Liberian since his birth which in his view must be changed to break the class system in Liberia.
Meanwhile, Senator Johnson has described as a serious embarrassment to the people of Nimba, former FDA Managing Director Harris Karnwea move to serve as vice running mate to Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine.
The MRD political leader warned citizens of Nimba County not to vote Karnwea as vice President to Cllr. Brumskine.
“Come October, nobody in Nimba County, wherever you are, I am taking a national tour to speak to our people everywhere not to go to where they are. This is the time for you to decide your own future,” he said.
Senator Johnson and lawmakers who contested on the ticket of his former political party, National Union for Democratic Progress now deregistered by NEC are apparently not in good term as a result of his stance against them.
He informed citizens of Nimba that they are no more keeping the bond that once existed amongst them as a result of their ‘deceptive posture’ exercised on him, something he considered a disrespect.
These lawmakers, according to Senator Johnson, rebelled against him by removing him as political leader of NUDP.
“There are so many of our children who I brought to you and you took them in 2011.
The party that brought them to power — they destroy it by kicking me out. Today, they are running again; please ask them which party ticket they are running on.
“Those who killed their own baby are not qualified to go second round. We must get them out and replace them with good people,” Senator Johnson registered.
Senator Prince Johnson has also revealed that there are plans underway by him to summon President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at the Liberian Senate for her to provide explanation for the huge sum of money that was misapplied at NOCAL.
“I am writing a letter to the Liberian Senate to summon President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to come and for the US$30 million that disappeared under her son’s administration at NOCAL for which she took responsibility to pay,” Johnson averred.
This communication, according to him, is expected to be forwarded to members of that august body on Tuesday, April 4, 2017.
Senator Johnson thinks by doing so, he will be contributing to the fight against corruption.