Africa-Press – Liberia. Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has joined the heat of the Nimba County Senatorial By-Election campaign trail, throwing his weight behind Representative Samuel G. Kogar, a candidate vying for the vacant Senate seat.
Koung’s active involvement has shifted momentum in what is shaping up to be a critical and closely contested political showdown.
The Vice President arrived in Nimba on April 6 and began strategic meetings the following day at his private compound near the Methodist Hospital in Ganta.
Over the past week, he has engaged with a broad spectrum of stakeholders—from women’s groups to transport unions, youth “wheelbarrow boys,” religious leaders, and motorcyclist unions—all in a bid to consolidate support for Kogar.
In a move reminiscent of his 2020 senatorial campaign, Koung has been traversing Ganta and surrounding communities, breaking ground for local development projects and distributing handouts to supporters—efforts viewed as both goodwill and political strategy.
On Sunday, April 13, the campaign took a spiritual turn as candidates and their teams visited churches to garner support. VP Koung and Rep. Kogar appeared together at the United Liberia Inland Church, while their closest rival, Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh, visited the Lutheran Church in Ganta with her team.
Later that day, Montserrado County District #10 Representative, Yekeh Kolubah, arrived in Ganta to campaign for Madam Weh. Reports also suggested that Alexander Cummings, political leader of the Alternative National Congress, might have quietly entered Ganta in support of Weh, though this could not be independently verified by the Daily Observer.
Madam Edith Gongloe Weh, a veteran of three senatorial races, remains a formidable contender. Her strength lies in Nimba Districts 1, 2, 8, and 9—areas she dominated during the 2020 Special Senatorial Election against Koung. However, in that election, Koung was able to offset her margins with decisive wins from the northeast and central-south parts of the county.
This time, Kogar’s campaign—backed by Vice President Koung—is making a determined push into Weh’s strongholds, potentially undercutting her base of support. Political observers see this as a deliberate effort to weaken her chances.
Senator Nyan Twayen, a key Koung ally and native of District 8, has also thrown his support behind Kogar. The Vice President recently broke ground on a major bridge project in the area, signaling development-focused campaigning in what was once pro-Weh territory.
Adding to the complexity, three independent candidates—Edith Weh, former County Inspector Mark Gblinwon, and Garrison Yealue—all hail from the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) but are running separately. While they are not directly attacking each other, their fragmented efforts could split the opposition vote, ultimately benefiting Kogar.
Mark Gblinwon and his political godfather, Representative Musa Hassan Bility, have yet to enter Ganta. Their campaign remains focused on the central-south and eastern flanks of the county.
Meanwhile, R. Mantinokay Tingban, a former District 9 lawmaker and candidate, appears to have faded from the race. One of his offices in Ganta remains shuttered, and his once-loyal supporters have begun defecting, calling him “not serious.”
With less than a week until the senatorial by-election day, the political landscape in Nimba is intensifying. UNDP, Internews, and other international partners are conducting conflict prevention workshops for journalists, political actors, and community leaders to curb potential unrest.
Sources say that Kogar’s campaign will hold a major launch rally in Saclepea on Wednesday, April 16, while Madam Weh and her team staged a large event in Yekepa on Monday, April 14—a sign of escalating last-minute efforts.
The by-election is increasingly seen as a litmus test of Vice President Koung’s political clout in Nimba County and could shape his influence ahead of future national contests.
In the same development, Prophet Key had also pledged his support to Rep. Samuel G. Kogar in the political rally in Saclepea, which was backed by Vice President Jeremiah Koung and scores of Nimba officials, including Sen. Nyan Twayen, Supt. Kou Gono, Atty. Sondah Geepe Wilson and among others.
In his endorsement statement, Prophet Key threw at the Mandingo causing some resentment of ethnicity among the MDR backed Unity Party Campaign, but Vice President Koung immediately rebuked him and apologized to the ethnic Mandingo.
On his facebook page, VP Koung said, ‘following our launch in Saclepea, I came across a video in which Prophet Key made a troubling statement against the Mandingo Community in Nimba, something I strongly condemned.”
“This statement does not reflect my values or the spirit of our campaign because my advocacy for a balanced distribution of power in Nimba is being rooted in traditional values and mutual respect among our people,” he said.
However, with less than five days to the election, the campaign is now reaching its peak where the two main candidates have now engaged in ‘Jehovah Witness Campaign’, moving from door to door and town to town.
Madam Edith Weh and her team are around Ganta and its vicities, expected to launch in Ganta over the weekend, while Rep. Samuel Kogar, backed by VP Koung are Tappita, embarking on to climax in Bahn and Karnplay, respectively.
This Senatorial By – Election campaign is more of a political battle between the ruling Unity Party and the Coalition of Democracy Change.
Although the CDC does has nothere are three CDCians in race running independently, Madam Edith Gongloe Weh, Mr. Mark Gblinwon and Cllr. Garrison Yealue, while the Unity Party is openly backing Samuel G. Kogar of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction of the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson.
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