Nimba’s political godfather, Prince Yormie Johnson, has vowed not to contest the Presidency in 2023 rather his support is towards the reelection of President George Weah.
“I am not contesting the Presidency in 2023 and notwithstanding; I am seeking for a third-term in the Legislature. But most importantly, I am supporting the second term bid of President George Weah,” he noted.
Sen. Johnson told his fellow Nimbaians that the President should be given the chance to complete those numerous projects undertaken.
His justification is that Weah has done well and continues to do the same when it comes to infrastructure, including roads network throughout the country, therefore the second term should be given him so as to complete his projects.
However, Senator Johnson was candidly vocal that he will not support the candidature of Tiawan Saye Gongloe of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP) and Alexander Benedict Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) in 2023 general polls.
He said his support will not go for Gongloe because of Tiawan’s continual campaign for the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Tribunal to prosecute greater abusers of human rights violations during the course of the Liberian Civil War.
Johnson, now 69, stated how Gongloe and others’ initiative could cause another round of violence in the country because those accused have followers, family members and friends who may deem such trial as a “witch-hunt.”
“We do not want a country where men are having affairs with other men instead of men and women having affairs to produce the next generation of people. Man cannot impregnate another man rather it is a woman who gets pregnant,” Johnson stated.
He made these comments during a mass gathering of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR’s) partisans in Gompa, Nimba County last weekend.
PYJ as he is affectionately called played a prominent role in the Liberian Civil War in which he captured, tortured, mutilated and executed former President Samuel Doe.
Johnson, for almost 18 years now has been at the senate for Nimba County. Firstly, he contested and won as an Independent Candidate in 2005 before forming the National Union for Democratic Progress (NUDP) Party in 2011.
Before the midterm polls in 2014, he established the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) Party on whose ticket he contested and won before supporting the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) during the roundup in the 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
Since then, Johnson and his MDR have been supportive of the governing party based on which they might have enjoyed both presidential appointments at local and national levels as well as the midterm election won by Jeremiah Koung as Senator of Nimba County.