Rumors engulfed the northern Liberian County of Nimba County over the weekend where the country's 163rd Independence Day Celebration was celebrated and that the Senior Senator of the county, Prince Y. Johnson would have revised his decision to boycott the July 26th celebration. Some residents of the county upon hearing the rumor, expected to receive Mr. Johnson and expressed happiness that he had revised his decision to stay away from the July 26th Independence celebration, which his county was granted the right to host this year.

Our reporter, who was in the county to cover the July 26th celebration, observed that some of the residents were even of the belief that Mr. Johnson had already arrived in the county and would have attended the official indoor program last Monday. In the commercial city of Ganta where the rumor is believed to have originated, a senior official of the county told this paper that Mr. Johnson had already arrived and was seen in white attire.   

But true to his words, Mr. Johnson was absent from the occasion, much to the disappointment of some residents of the county who wanted to see him at the ceremony. Mr. Johnson's colleague, the Junior Senator of the county, Aldophus Dolo in his capacity as one of the host Senators, clearly filled in the gap by attending and accompanying President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to major events and activities that were earmarked for the occasion.

At some time of the indoor program led a battle cry and a traditional Nimba song as the President read her special Independence Day speech in which she lavished praises on the county for hosting the events. In addition to Senator Dolo, all of the representatives hailing from the county were in attendance.
Senator Prince Johnson has insisted before the July 26th celebration that he would not attend the occasion. Mr. Johnson, who had declared his intention to contest the Liberian Presidency next year, is reported to have said that as a candidate himself in the up-coming elections, he cannot be in Nimba having heard that some of his kinsmen in the county were planning to petition President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who herself has declared her intention to contest in the up-coming poll.

Mr. Johnson said he cannot accompany another candidate eyeing the Presidency as he is, to the county to play a role of supporting that candidate. One of his legislative colleagues from the county, Representative Nohn Rebecca Kidau appealed to Senator Johnson to reconsider his decision expressing the hope that no citizen from the county would have boycotted the occasion, but her request has been ignored as a result of Mr. Johnson's absence from the celebration.