Monrovia — Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor says she still maintains her earlier position against people using money to get elected because, according to her, people should not be paid to get their votes. However, she said her statement wasn't referring or directed at her boss, President George Weah.
Earlier during the 2020 Senatorial elections, VP Taylor, while on her campaign tour in Bong County, called on citizens of the County to reject fat-pocket politicians who were using money to get re-elected even though they failed in their first trial.
"I am someone who believes that you should work for your people, and if they see it fit, they will give you their support, and that is where I still stand. However, we are in a political season, and people have different ways of doing this."
"I still believe that people should not be paid to get their vote. I still believe today that people should work for their country and get a chance to get elected. When President Weah did what he did for Liberia, whether it was on the National team or in the refugee camps, he did it knowing he would be President. He did it because it was a calling to help lift his people out of poverty."
Her comments were in response to Senator Prince Johnson, who, during his press conference over the weekend, quoted the Vice President as saying, "Politicians are paying voters to be re-elected." The VP made the statement in Bong County during the 2020 Senatorial election, where she called on citizens not to vote for the incumbent senator, Henry Yallah, regardless of how much money he gave them.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The Nimba Senator was also cautioning Liberians, especially people of Nimba County, not to be carried away with money because, according to him, he suspects the current regime of President George Weah of plotting to use money as the only thing to get re-elected as they have failed in their governing processes.
VP Taylor also said the reference made by the Nimba Senator was since 2020, but he (Johnson) was trying to make it appear like a recent statement she made.
"The senator is trying to make the comment look recent. I said that at the beginning of the 2020 elections, and I was speaking in Bong County. I was specific and was speaking to the Bong young people about looking at ways to elect their leaders. I saw a lot of money being spent in Bong County in a way to avert the will of the people, and it was in that context I spoke."
"It had nothing to do with monies printed in the Central bank as Senator Johnson was alluding to. It had nothing to do with Thomas Fallah. I wasn't in his county. I was speaking purely to the incident as to who will be senator in Bong County. That was my concern. I realize there would be a lot of money spent by people for a vote."
She further cautioned politicians and the ordinary Liberia against using money as an inducement during elections because Liberia will never really get ahead in development. "That was how I spoke at that moment. Somehow, Senator Johnson wants people to believe this was something said recently after the money was printed at the Central Bank."
"I wasn't speaking about any national leadership. I haven't seen President Weah pay for votes, I haven't seen him truck people, so I know he knows I wasn't speaking to him."
