GANTA, Nimba — Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has committed to working with whoever emerges victorious in the ongoing senatorial election in Nimba County.
After casting his ballot at the YMCA School in Ganta, VP Koung told journalists that the campaign period was over and it was now time to embrace peace and unity. He said the people of Nimba would decide who replaces the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson, who died on Nov. 28, 2024, following a prolonged illness.
VP Koung has spent nearly two weeks in Nimba, campaigning vigorously for Representative Samuel Kogar to be elected senator.
His campaign messages have drawn mixed reactions, with critics describing his rhetoric as divisive. They argue that Koung has been advocating for Kogar not based on qualifications, competence, or contributions to the county, but along tribal lines.
During the campaign, Koung called on the people of Nimba to vote for Kogar in order to prevent both senatorial seats from being occupied by members of the Mano ethnic group. He aggressively opposed the candidacy of Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh, asserting that her election would violate the county’s long-standing tradition of maintaining ethnic balance between the Gio and Mano communities.
With Nyan Tuayen already serving as a senator from the Mano ethnic group, Koung believes it would be appropriate for Kogar, a Gio, to be elected in order to preserve that balance. However, Kogar’s potential election would trigger another vacancy in the House of Representatives, necessitating a by-election to fill the remainder of his six-year term, which he is serving for the third time.
Mack Gbliwon and Garrison Yealue, a former representative of Nimba District 4—both Gio by ethnicity—are also contesting the election despite Koung’s appeal for them to withdraw in favor of Kogar. Both candidates have publicly rejected the notion of tribal-based politics, calling it illogical and detrimental to the county’s development. They argue that voters should be persuaded by ideas and a track record of service—not ethnicity.
Nimba County is also home to several other ethnic groups, including the Mandingo, Bassa, Krahn, and Gbei, all of whom play a role in the county’s democratic process.
Robert Saymeah, chair of the Nimba County Council of Chiefs and Elders, expressed concern over the divisive tribal rhetoric. He urged voters to freely exercise their franchise without fear or favoritism.
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