Senator Prince Y. Johnson made waves last week when refused to be part of the Nimba 2010 Natal Day Celebrations of Liberia on grounds that he would be committing 'political suicide' to      do so. Not many saw the wisdom in the expected presidential aspirant's political posturing; neither did he himself see what others consider the vainness of his decision. But no sooner the wave settled – the celebrations came and went – than the senator began taking the political whipping, from expected quarters. "Will he survive the whipping in view of his presidential ambition amidst all this?" is the reigning question, according to observers. The Analyst, reports.

The refusal of Nimba County Senior Senator, Prince Y. Johnson, to attend ceremonies marking the observance of the 163rd Independence of Liberia in Nimba has put him at the risk of abandonment and neglect by his own people.

Not only that, according to observers: the refusal has also brought the senator's 2011 presidential bid under critical spotlight vis-à-vis the much-sought leadership qualities of political tolerance, the putting of county and nation before personal ambition and interest, and most of all, the show of leadership under inclement political conditions.

Prior to the holding of this year's Independence Day celebrations in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Senator Johnson caught wind of plans by some Nimbaians to petition President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to seek second term.

The senator immediately vowed not to attend such event, which in his opinion, would undercut his ambition for the presidency, make him part of the crowning ceremony of his political opponent, and eventually render him a political suicide victim.

It apparently did not matter to the senator that the scheduled petitioning would occur outside the ceremonies, which were to be the a key national event scheduled to be attended by county officials, national officials, foreign diplomats, and citizens from around the country – observers say a perfect gathering for aspiring national leaders to make first impressions.

What he did not take into consideration also, according to political observers, was that by refusing to attend such historic event in the county he represents in the National Legislature as senior senator – lest he committed 'political suicide' – he has put himself in a politically twisted position with the people of Nimba.

It would in the long run also, according to them, diminish his chances of convincing citizens to give him the same support they gave him in 2005 when he ran for the post of senator during the 2005 presidential election.

They fear it would not be too long before the worst was confirmed for the senator, who many say appears to hinge his political career on becoming Liberia's next president.

The would-be presidential candidate probably saw the boycott of Independence Day activities in Nimba County as personal victory, but observers say there were emerging indications that his colleagues and ordinary Liberians were regarding his action as a betrayal of the county and its people.

The Analyst has learnt that some legislative colleagues and ordinary Nimbaians have already begun expressing determinations to campaign and give their support to candidate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf next year, who has declared that she would be a "formidable candidate."

Running surveys have shown that the senator's popularity with his people has hit a record low, bearing all the likelihood that his chances of winning the county next year were fast evaporating, as open criticisms from colleagues mount.

Senator Dolo, who claimed to be the spokesperson for the county's legislative caucus told a local radio station that eight legislators hailing from the county have already vowed not to support Sen. Prince Johnson and that the eight planned to switch their support to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for her second term bid.

Those lawmakers other than himself, who he said have taken such decision, were reps. Worlea Saywah Dunah (Dist. #3 - UP, previously of New Deal Movement), Jackson Findor (Dist. #5 - CDC), Nohn Rebecca Kidau (Dist. #4 - COTOL), Edwin Gaye (Dist. #7- Ind.), Francis Karway (Dist. #1- UP), Evans Koah (Dist. # 6), and Martin Mahnker Fargalo (Ind.). The Analyst was unable to confirm the senator's claims.

He however said scores of chiefs, elders, and other citizens of Nimba have already endorsed the decisions of these lawmakers and were prepared to give their support to the President.

He did not say whether these legislators had previously supported Mr. Johnson's presidential bid and only switched support due to the recent development; neither did he say whether the switch would be reversed once Senator Johnson made amends to the people of Nimba.

Senator Dolo's disclosure of evaporating support, according to analysts, brings a new debate of whether Senator Johnson's long-held claims on popular support from Nimba would hold up to Election Day in 2011.

Mr. Dolo, a junior senator from Nimba, said part of the reason for switching support to President Sirleaf was that Senator Johnson has demonstrated repeatedly that he was not prepared to provide functional leadership to the nation as he has shown tendencies of immaturity in many situations requiring show of leadership persona.

He gave no examples, but he described the senator's presidential ambition was a 'laughable political joke'.

According to him, the people of Nimba County were happy with the Sirleaf Administration and that they have therefore resolved to vote for her during the 2011 general and presidential elections.
   He said their happiness and the subsequent decision of the people of Nimba to support President Sirleaf were rooted in the President's programs and activities from which the county has benefited enormously in the form of modern health and education facilities, feeder and farm-to-market roads, and other basic services and infrastructures.

Additionally the soft-spoken Nimba senator who also promised to be a serious campaign manager for Madam Sirleaf said, he would also ensure that she won for the second time running, something he claimed every Nimbaian was happy about and prepared to do.

Besides his native county, Senator Dolo said, he has traveled extensively to other parts of the country and that there were visible and physical developments being undertaken by the government, which he said warranted the President being given another term in office.

He said the people of Nimba County would be highly ungrateful were they to failed to vote for the UP and Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during the 2011 elections owing to the fact that she has done incredibly well in terms of development since coming to power in 2006.

Senator Dolo noted further that he was convinced that his kinsmen could make a good president, but that for now and relative to the 2011 elections, he needed time to develop and to grow.

He therefore called on the senator to take the make the magnanimous decision of stepping aside since the people of Nimba County were not prepared to support and canvass for him.

Senator Prince Y. Johnson, a former faction leader regarded by many as one of Liberia's fiercest rebel leaders, earned for himself the name 'Field Marshal General' during the nation's brutal civil war.

He was overwhelmingly elected to the Senate in 2005 for his progressive views on governance and for his vow to protect the people of Nimba from injustice and insecurity, but many in the county and parliament also dread him for always standing in the midst of controversies where common opinion on important issue counted.

The current swift switch of support, which many say was not noted to have existed in the first place, suggests to observers the senator was taking a beating because of the pent-up grievances his colleagues might have had against him.

Senator Johnson was a loyal supporter of President Sirleaf until a UP convention in Saclepea in 2005 when the President, as candidate for president, joined other executive members of UP to doubt his ability to win the senate seat for UP and urged him step aside for another promising candidate.

The request infuriated Mr. Johnson, who walked out of the convention and went as far as accusing the then Presidential candidate of manipulating the convention and undermining his political ambition.

He also at the time accused President Sirleaf of trying to do the same thing she did to other politicians of Nimba, such as the late Jackson F. Doe, the presumed winner of the 1985 rigged presidential elections.

As the nation prepares for the 2011 elections, the first democratic elections to be held in postwar Liberia, many say the Nimba lawmaker was again provoking huge debates in many quarters of the Liberian society.

Critics fear that while the senator's utterances and actions may appear harmless at the moment, they gain the support of other disaffected sectors of society thereby further jeopardizing the already fragile peace that Liberians are enjoying.

It may be recalled that hours after President Ellen Johnson's declaration of intention to run for president "a formidable candidate," the Nimba County senior senator took to the airwaves to declare his candidacy for president.

Senator Johnson's utterances, actions, programs, and activities – whatever they are – might be on the far left of what some may see as normal politics and acceptable practices, but analysts say unless they deviate from the law, they count, so far, as the best responses to the governance experiment in postwar Liberia.