Barely a week to the much-publicized Nimba County Senatorial By-Election, the battle of political rivalry intensifies between the county’s Electoral District #5 Representative Samuel Kogar and former Superintendent Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh.
The Nimba County By-election which is expected to take place on April 22, 2025, is necessitated by Article 37 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution contingent on the death of doyen Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, alias “PYJ.”
Article 37 of the Liberian Constitution states that: “In the event of a vacancy in the Legislature caused by death, resignation, expulsion or otherwise, the presiding officer shall within 30 days notify the Elections Commission thereof. The Elections Commission shall not later than 90 days thereafter cause a by-election to be held; provided that where such vacancy occurs within 90 days prior to the holding of general elections, the filling of the vacancy shall await the holding of such general elections.”
The ensuing election will be contested by Rep. Kogar of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), former Superintendent Gongloe-Weh (Independent), Garrison Yealue (Independent), Mack Gblinwon of Musa Bility’s Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), former District #9 Representative, Richard Matenogay Tingban of the Vision for Liberia’s Transformation (VOLT), George Gonpu of African Democratic Movement (ADMIL) and Victor Fangalu (Independent). Even though the election is being contested by seven candidates, the main rift has been seen between the District 5 lawmaker and the former county administrator.
Ever since the political campaign was declared by the country’s electoral body – the National Elections Commission (NEC), both Representative Kogar and former Superintendent Gongloe-Weh have been at each other’s throat with their supporters engaging in series of hate messages and violence, a situation that recently prompted the National Civil Society Council of Liberia to issue a stern warning. It can be recalled that the political rally of Madam Gongloe-Weh in Gborplay was violently disrupted recently allegedly by supporters of Rep. Kogar.
According to reports, the lone female candidate for the ensuing April 22 process managed to narrowly escape her attackers while engaging with voters in that part of the county (Gborplay, Electoral District #4).
As a result of the attack, the senatorial candidate’s campaign was abruptly called off. Before the latest violence, there had been growing tension among key contenders with some engaging in spewing hate and divisive messages.
The claims and counterclaims continue even on the foot of the election with Candidate Gongloe-Weh accusing Rep. Kogar of introducing a bill before the Legislature, specifically in the House of Representatives that sought to divide the county into three parts.
But Local Voices Liberia, a fact-checking group has verified this claim by reviewing the House of Representatives’ Bill Matrix and found it to be misleading. According to LVL, there is no evidence that Representative Kogar proposed any such bill in 2018 or the subsequent years intended to create additional counties.
