A representative of Liberian President, George Weah, has dismissed as untrue rumours that the former footballer plans to cling to power for another 12 years.
Former Liberian warlord turned pastor, Prince Y. Johnson, who is also the current Senior Senator representing Nimba County, had on Sunday alleged that Weah is prepared to remain in power for an additional twelve years after his first six years, which ends in 2023.
Liberians are poised to go for a referendum on December 8, 2020, and Johnson noted that when the referendum passes, the current six years of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) regime is zero years for them, adding that Weah will be going for two more terms, equating his reign to three terms.
The referendum seeks to reduce the years of presidential and parliamentary terms, allow dual citizenship, as well as change the date of presidential and general elections.
Johnson’s statement comes on the heels of protests in neighbouring Ivory Coast and Guinea over their presidents’ bids for a third term. The two country’s had also done a referedum with supporters of Presidents Alassane Ouattara and Alpha Conde claiming the constitutional reforms in their countries – Ivory Coast and Guinea respectively – reset the their term limits.
However, president’s chief of staff, Nathaniel McGill, told journalists in the capital, Monrovia, that the president had not yet even finished his first term.
He added that Weah will not seek a third term in office, noting that he has no
“It is not good for one man to be president for a long time… The president is not thinking about a third term,” he said.
President Weah was elected to office in 2018.