Published: March 6, 2025
GANTA – A seemingly private meeting between former Nimba County Superintendent Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh and Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has turned into a political firestorm after a leaked photo of the encounter went viral on social media. Now, for the first time, Madam Gongloe-Weh is speaking out, expressing shock and disappointment over what she calls a breach of privacy and security.
In the leaked photo, Madam Gongloe-Weh is seen in a conversation with Vice President Koung and another woman at the VP’s residence. While the purpose of the meeting remains unclear, social media users have alleged that Madam Gongloe-Weh was seeking Vice President Koung’s support for her senatorial bid in the upcoming by-election in Nimba County.
Critics have argued that any backing from VP Koung would be inappropriate, given that Madam Gongloe-Weh campaigned against him and the Unity Party in 2023 when he aligned with the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in Nimba.
The controversial photo surfaced on Facebook on the night of February 14, 2025. The following day, Vice President Koung’s Special Assistant, Edwin G. Korden, took to Facebook to dismiss speculation that the meeting was politically motivated.
“I want to make it clear that the meetings between Vice President Koung and Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh on two separate occasions were not about political support, as some Nimbaians have suggested on Facebook and other social media platforms,” Korden stated.
He further clarified: “Following her return from the United States, Madam Weh has paid courtesy visits to the Vice President twice. Discussions in these meetings have focused mainly on reconciliation and ideologies that will move Nimba and Liberia forward.”
Korden emphasized that Vice President Koung remains committed to engaging all Liberians, regardless of their political affiliations.
However, addressing the issue for the first time at the funeral service of former Nimba County Superintendent Robert Karmei, Madam Gongloe-Weh expressed her dismay over the leaked image.
“I was completely shocked and disappointed to see a private meeting with the Vice President being publicly circulated,” she said. “This meeting was not about seeking political or financial support. It was simply a courtesy visit to the Vice President, who, as the most senior government official from Nimba, deserved such respect.”
The former superintendent and three-time senatorial candidate emphasized that since her return to Liberia, she has met with several high-ranking officials, including President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, and none of those meetings have been about soliciting support for her campaign.
“It’s not just about Vice President Koung. Before meeting him, I also met with President Boakai and other top officials, discussing key national issues. But I am deeply disappointed that my meeting with the Vice President was handled this way. The office of the Vice President requires stringent security protocols to protect the privacy of visitors, and that did not happen in my case. My image was compromised, and that reflects poorly on the office,” Madam Gongloe-Weh lamented.
She revealed that upon seeing the leaked photo and the misinterpretations attached to it, she immediately contacted Vice President Koung to express her concerns.
“I reached out to him and said, ‘Mr. Vice President, look at what has happened. I took my time to respect your office, and now this. Imagine if it had been a foreign guest—this would have been a breach of their confidentiality and security.’ This situation does not reflect well on the Vice Presidency, and it should not have happened to me or anyone else visiting the office,” she stated in a tone of disappointment.
Madam Gongloe-Weh added that while Vice President Koung assured her of an investigation into how the photo was leaked, no update has been provided so far.
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