Nimba County — True to critics’ assessment, President George Weah has ended his cabinet retreat in Ganta, Nimba County, asking Nimbaians to reelect him and his close political ally Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, sanctioned by the United States for corruption, including votes-buying.
President Weah made the call Wednesday, 13 July 13, 2022, in Saclepea and Bahn cities during a roads inspection tour that turned into a political campaign, ahead of the 2023 Elections.
He asked the people of Nimba to reject all those who want to be President because, in his words, they are not during anything that will help the citizens.
Senator PYJ, currently ending his second 9-year term in the Liberian Senate, is a third term that could make him become the longest serving senator in recent years.
He was constrained to relinquish his post as Chairperson of the committee on defense, security veteran affairs after the U.S. State Department issued an indicting report, linking him to votes-buying and barring him from entering the United States.
Prior to Wednesday’s call by Mr. Weah, two prominent sons of Nimba, Professor Dr. Jeremaih Z. Whapoe and Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe had declared intentions to vie for the Presidency in next year’s election.
Cllr. Gongloe, a vehement critic of the Weah administration, is currently touring the United States, rallying Diaspora Liberians to support his bid to become Liberia’s next President.
Dr. Whapoe had termed the gathering in Ganta as for merry-making rather than a retreat of the cabinet.
Several callers on community radio stations in the county expressed disappointment in the Weah administration, pointing to continuous hardship and killings across the country, lately by state security forces.
But while on a tour of electoral district#2 in Sanniquellie, Representative Prince O.S. Tokpah of the opposition People’s Unification |Party (PUP) announced his membership for the ruling CDC and vowed to support and campaign for the re-election of President Weah.
According to the PUP lawmaker, the CDC is the best way to go come 2023.
In response, President Weah welcomed Representative Tokpah for his decision to crossover to the ruling CDC.
Reports from the county say dozens of citizens in the vote-rich county also joined the ruling Coalition. Editing by Jonathan Browne