GANTA, Nimba County — With less than a week to go before the highly anticipated senatorial by-election in Nimba County, five of the seven candidates vying for the county’s lone Senate seat have signed the Farmington River Declaration, committing to peaceful, transparent and credible elections on April 22, 2025.
The signing ceremony, held Tuesday in Ganta, marked the opening of a two-day peace forum aimed at promoting tolerance, respect and unity ahead of the polls. The event brought together candidates, election stakeholders, civil society actors and traditional leaders under the auspices of the National Elections Commission.
Speaking at the occasion, Barsee Kpangba, chairman of the Election Steering Committee in Nimba County — representing the NEC chairperson — urged all candidates and voters to uphold the tenets of peace during the electoral process.
“The elections will come and go, but Nimba County and its people will remain,” Kpangba said. “We must not use this election to divide ourselves. We are Liberians first, and we must continue to live in peace.”
Candidates who signed the revised Farmington River Declaration of 2023 included independent aspirants Tolbert Wonokay Farngalo and Edith Gongole Weh; Mack Gbliwon of the Citizens Movement for Change; Mantennokay Tingban Vision of the Liberia Transformation Party; and Samuel Kogar of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction.
The candidates, in separate remarks during the inter-party dialogue, reaffirmed their commitment to the peace accord and pledged to ensure full compliance with its provisions. They called on their supporters to remain calm and respectful, emphasizing the importance of allowing each candidate to campaign freely across the county without fear of threats, intimidation or violence.
“We must set an example for the rest of Liberia,” said Weh. “Peaceful elections are not only the NEC’s responsibility but also ours as candidates and citizens.”
The by-election follows the death of long-serving Nimba County Sen. Prince Y. Johnson, a prominent figure in Liberian politics. His passing created a significant vacuum in the county’s political landscape, setting the stage for what is expected to be a competitive race.
The NEC has reiterated its readiness to conduct a free, fair and transparent election on April 22, and has called on all stakeholders to cooperate in preserving the peace that Nimba County has enjoyed in recent years.
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