Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson has sent a threatening message to the Government of Liberia that any move to rig the upcoming elections would be met with intense resistance.
The former warlord, a staunch campaigner for the Unity Party, made the statement in a press conference on Monday, September 18, 2023.
Senator Johnson said they are planning to put people in the streets ahead of the election. They will be under the banner called “Don’t Try It.” The group, according to the senator, will be sending a warning to the government that they should attempt to rig the election.
“Before the October elections, Liberians are coming out under the banner ‘Don’t Try It’ – any attempt, the people’s power would be exercised like the Arab Spring,” the senator said.
The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s.
The senator further noted that it’s either the government kills them or they kill the government if the election is temper with.
“You’ll shoot your gun; you’ll kill us or you’ll die. No more fear, Liberians don’t have fear anymore,” Sen. Johnson said.
Prince Johnson’s statement, however, has instilled fear into many Liberians. Looking at his past war history, people are not taking his words lightly. Moriah Yeakula, the Chief of Staff to Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, condemned the senator on her Facebook page.
“We will NOT plunge our country back into war and PYJ dreams of seizing the Presidency through UP and any means necessary will be condemned. This reckless bravado is too much,” she posted.