Published: March 10, 2025
NIMBA – Representative Samuel Kogar (Nimba, District 5) has thrown down the gauntlet in Nimba County, bluntly warning Vice President Jeremiah Koung, Representative Musa Hassan Bility, and other political rivals that any interference in his bid for the vacant Senate seat will spark fierce political retaliation in 2029.
“If you fight me now and I survive, I’ll fight you in 2029,” Kogar vowed to a charged crowd, marking a bold declaration amid rising tensions over who inherits the influential political legacy left by the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson.
His remarks come amid increasing speculation that Vice President Koung and Representative Bility are strategically aligning themselves with rival candidates in the race to replace the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson, a towering figure who dominated Nimba’s political landscape for over two decades.
A Deepening Political Rift
The passing of Senator Johnson created a power vacuum, prompting intense competition among leading political figures eager to inherit his influential role. Musa Bility, who recently launched the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), has publicly backed Mack Gblinwon, positioning him as the party’s choice for the critical Senate seat. Meanwhile, Vice President Koung is reportedly deliberating support between prominent contenders Edith Gongloe-Weh and Garrison Yealue.
Representative Kogar perceives these endorsements as direct challenges to his ambition and a coordinated attempt to reshape the political order of the county.
Claiming the Traditional Mantle
At Senator Johnson’s funeral, Kogar performed a traditional act of leaping four times over the late senator’s remains—a powerful symbolic gesture in Nimba culture signifying a claim to Johnson’s political mantle. Observers interpreted this act as Kogar positioning himself as the heir apparent to Johnson’s influential legacy.
However, his claim has not gone uncontested. Vice President Koung, a former protégé and ally of Johnson, and Representative Bility, among others, have openly challenged Kogar’s symbolic assertion.
Battle Over Johnson’s Legacy
The forthcoming by-election represents a critical struggle over who inherits the substantial political capital and legacy of Prince Johnson. Johnson’s loyal following and considerable influence made him a pivotal kingmaker, and his departure has intensified rivalry among Nimba’s top political figures.
Vice President Koung, having benefitted from Johnson’s mentorship, is widely expected to leverage his political clout in determining Johnson’s successor. However, with Kogar and Bility vigorously contesting that influence, the contest has rapidly become a litmus test for dominance over the county’s political future.
Accusing rivals of attempting to divide the county, Kogar passionately urged his supporters to resist external political interference. “The Nimba people will decide, not outsiders,” he declared emphatically, positioning himself as a defender of the county’s political autonomy.
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