Barely a day after Senator Samuel G. Kogar publicly alleged that the President’s son is involved in Liberia’s drug crisis and called on the President to be transparent in the investigation, his own party has expelled him.
The Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) announced the expulsion over the weekend, citing disloyalty and violations of the party’s constitution.
Speaking to reporters in Monrovia, MDR Chairman and Minister of Labor, Cooper Kruah, said the decision followed a formal complaint against the Nimba County Senator.
According to Kruah, Senator Kogar was served a copy of the complaint and initially participated in the investigation. However, the Senator and his lawyer later failed to appear for subsequent hearings. “He did not show up, and his lawyer did not show up. So, that was a waiver of their right to be heard,” Kruah stated.
Following the no-show, the party’s disciplinary committee proceeded and recommended expulsion. The MDR has also demanded that all party assets and property in Kogar’s possession be returned immediately.
Kruah was blunt: Senator Kogar is no longer a member of the MDR. “Whatever he says out there will not represent the party henceforth,” the Chairman declared, noting that Kogar’s recent public statements were made without consultation with party leadership.
The Chairman directly linked the expulsion to Kogar’s stance against the Unity Party-led government. He said the MDR remains in full collaboration with the Unity Party and is part of the governing establishment. Kruah argued that party members cannot serve in government while acting in opposition to it.
“This party stands with the Unity Party and stands with this President. We supported him yesterday, we support him today, and we support him in the future,” Kruah said.
He issued a stern warning to other MDR members: “Anything that tries to interfere with the relationship that we have with the Unity Party, if it contravenes our laws, we will not hesitate for the gavel to hit the table, just as it happened today.”
The expulsion comes less than 24 hours after Senator Kogar appeared at the Center for Intellectual Opinion in Monrovia, where he alleged the President’s son’s involvement in drug activities in Liberia and urged the President to stop being “dishonest” about the drug investigation. The MDR is urging the media to widely publicize that Senator Kogar no longer represents the party.
