Hundreds of citizens recently turned out at an impressive program to endorse President George Manneh Weah’s re-election bid in Ganta, Nimba County, and vowed to end the godfather-ship of Senator Prince Y. Johnson in the local politics.
The program was graced by the City Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Tamba Koijee, who is also the Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), some officials of the party from the national headquarters, the top political actors in the county—most of whom are also contesting for a number of legislative seats in the county—as well as county officials, led by Superintendent Nelson Korquoi.
The citizens of Nimba County and supporters marched through the streets of Ganta, led by the Chairman of the Council of Elders of the county, Rtd. Maj./Gen. Albert G. Paye, commonly called Chief Zoekweh, and including four of Liberia’s top musical artists.
According to them, they are supporting the re-election bid of President Weah because of his strides in the area of education, agriculture, healthcare, peacebuilding as well as infrastructural development, with emphasis on road connectivity, electricity, water supply, construction of market buildings and health facilities.
The Representative-Candidate for district #8, Darius Batekeh, confessed that he and his colleagues for some five years launched a sustained, unjustified anti-CDC propaganda to discredit President Weah and his government, urging the citizens not to take any narrative of development in the county seriously, but nothing was achieved from the exercise.
Speaking over the weekend, Batekeh said they have come to the realization that their sentiments could not be sustained, as the government has done much for the people of Nimba County.
“To the young people, please listen to me clearly: the CDC government did nothing to you. For the past five years we campaigned against them and we have found out that we were wrong, and let us use this period to repair what we did by electing him and giving him the next 6 years come October 10, 2023 elections,” Batekeh clarified.
“They said over 22 yellow machines in the county got damaged and they can’t repair them, and these same people say they want to rescue this country. They must be joking,” Batekeh cautioned.
“Nimba County is the only county that receives US$1.5 million from the Liberian government as county social development fund and Senator Prince Johnson embezzled the funds. But I will lead the process to sue him so that he can account for the money,” he continued.
Also addressing several Nimba County citizens, the former Chairman of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) in Nimba County, Paul Z. Wehyee, described the event as a special day in the history of the county, as people were making conscious decisions to get out of the grip.
Wehyee said, “[Senator] Prince Johnson is a heartless politician who is parading around as godfather for the county, but it’s time to chart a new course of action that will set Nimba County and its people free from bad people who called themselves ‘godfather’ in the county.”