By Washington Tumay Watson –onewash9@gmail.com

MONROVIA-At long last, Nimba’s County’s strong man and political godfather, Senator Prince Y. Johnson has welcomed the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.

The former Political Leader of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) has been one of the strongest oppositions to the establishment of the War and Economic Crime Court in the country.

At the mention of the War and Economic Crime Court, it gets the Nimba County Lawmaker mad at the person who pronounces such a name.

Senator Johnson is one of the many Liberians who fully participated in the 14 years of civil unrest in Liberia that took away thousands of lives and millions of properties damaged.

Speaking on the Spoon FM Night Talk Show, the Former Rebel Leader said if the quest by some Liberians for the war and economic crime court to be established will improve the country, he welcomes it.

According to Senator Johnson, when said court is established, and he is called upon, he will make himself available to exonerate himself.

Senator Johnson has since feared the establishment of a War and Economic Crime Court; this according to political pundits has been one of the tools that politicians the senator has not supported used to intimidate him since he is considered a “godfather” from vote-rich Nimba County.

The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) at the time was one of those political parties that were strong on calling for the establishment of said court in Liberia.

The CDC was able to get the vote of Nimba County through the support of Senator Prince Johnson because back then he [Johnson] was believed to fear being prosecuted by the next government.

PYJ and CDC Relationship

The political marriage between the CDC and the Former Political Leader of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction, Prince Y. Johnson has been soured in recent months.

The two political institutions have been battling for supremacy in vote-rich   Nimba County. The CDC has planted a political cell to dilute the influence of Senator Johnson in Nimba County.

Over the weekend, Senator Johnson finally ended the long-standing political supremacy by divorcing the CDC and entering a new political marriage with the Unity Party of former Vice President, Joseph Boakai.

He declared his support for former Vice President Boakai in the October 10 Presidential and Legislative elections.

Senator Johnson told the media that he and the people of Nimba mostly the MDR’s Supporters will do all they can in their political powers to ensure that the former vice president becomes the next president of Liberia.

He said anyone the former vice president selects as running mate, the MDR will fully support that ticket to unseat the CDC-led government of President George Weah.

New Republic Liberia

Alphonso Toweh

Has been in the profession for over twenty years. He has worked for many international media outlets  including: West Africa Magazine, Africa Week Magazine, African Observer and  did occasional reporting for CNN, BBC World Service, Sunday Times, NPR, Radio Deutchewells, Radio Netherlands. He is the current correspondent for Reuters 
 He holds first  MA with honors in International  Relations and a  candidate for second master in International Peace studies and Conflict  Resolution from the University of Liberia.