Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson has threatened lawsuit against any radio station in the county that allows his critics to use their platform to rain insults at him.
Speaking recently via telephone on a local radio station in Ganta, Senator Johnson stated that he has observed with grave concern that community radio stations in the county are frequently used by his critics to besmear his hard-earned character in the name of politicking.
Senator Johnson said he was “fed up” with this practice, and threatened to sue any radio station and individual who goes on the airwaves to “tell lies” about him.
“They must stop fabricating lies about me! Remember when you push me against the wall, I will sue you,” Senator Johnson said.
He pointed out that he does not expect everyone in the county to love him, but going to the extent of using the media to castigate him without an ounce of truth is “totally unacceptable.”
“You have the right to condemn me whenever I go wrong; that I know, but going on the radio to insult me will lead me to file a lawsuit against anyone and the radio station that gave you the air time,” Senator Johnson stressed.
According to the Nimba County tough-talking Senator, community radio stations are meant to disseminate of “truthful” information, saying that he is taken aback by the manner and form in which some radio stations in the county are being wrongly used.
The Nimba County Senator made specific reference to a recent allegation in the media by some of his critics that he is recruiting and training some Nimbains as soldiers to be used in his defense against the government to resist arrest for alleged his role in the Liberian civil war.
He added that community radio stations are regularly being used by his critics to tarnish his reputation.
“I have been quiet on this matter for a very long time because I think I am the father for everyone in the county as your Senator, this has gone to the extent that I can no longer accept it,” Prince Johnson explained.
Meanwhile, the Nimba County Senator has challenged the media to play a neutral role, promote peace through their programs and be investigative and not be used by people who have personal agenda with another leader to spread falsehood to win attention and public sentiment.
In a related development, heads of community radio stations and the umbrella organization of community radio stations (NICORA) are yet to comment on the latter development.
Senator Johnson’s statement is coming barely two weeks after Press Union of Liberia president Charles Coffey and the president of the Nimba Community Radio Association (NICORA), Kennedy Domah, called on journalists in the county to unite and work together and above all uphold the ethics and norms of the journalism profession.
The call from the two media executives came on the heels of a report of disunity that led to a war of words among some members of the media body in the county.
LINA
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