Vice President Koung is also reportedly planning to endorse Kogar in Saclepea, the heart of Musa Bility’s constituency. This has sparked outrage from Bility, who is pushing his own candidate, B. Mack Gblinwon, a former Nimba County Inspector.
NIMBA COUNTY — The upcoming senatorial by-election in Nimba County, set for April 22, has rapidly escalated from a simple race to fill a vacant Senate seat to a full-fledged proxy political battle between Vice President Jeremiah Koung and Nimba County District Seven lawmaker Musa Hassan Bility.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
The race was triggered by the death of former Senator Prince Johnson in November 2024, and it has quickly become one of the most fiercely contested elections in recent memory.
Koung, an ally of Johnson, has endorsed Samuel Kogar, a candidate from the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR). Kogar’s candidacy represents an effort to continue the legacy of the late Johnson, who had long dominated Nimba’s political landscape.
In a dramatic move that underscores the high stakes of the election, Vice President Koung is also reportedly planning to endorse Kogar in Saclepea, the heart of Musa Bility’s constituency. This has sparked outrage from Bility, who is pushing his own candidate, B. Mack Gblinwon, a former Nimba County Inspector, in an effort to challenge the MDR’s influence in the county.
Bility, frustrated by Koung’s endorsement of Kogar, took to Facebook to denounce the Vice President’s actions. In a strongly worded post, Bility called for Koung to remain neutral in the election. “This election is for the citizens, not for the Vice President. He should not involve himself in it,” Bility wrote.
“We respect him, but if he disregards this advice, we will treat him like any other citizen, not as Vice President.”
His comments further fueled the growing political tension in Nimba, with both men now battling for control over the county’s future.
For the MDR, the by-election is not just a contest to fill a vacant Senate seat — it’s a critical moment to solidify its hold on Nimba County. The party, founded by the late Johnson, has long been the dominant political force in the region, and its candidate, Kogar, represents a continuation of that power.
The election is a test of whether the MDR can maintain its influence in the face of growing challenges, particularly from Bility and his newly-formed Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), which has quickly emerged as a formidable political force in Nimba.
Kogar, for his part, has remained steadfast in his campaign, responding to the criticism of Bility and others by asserting that his candidacy is not about promoting one ethnic group over another. “We are not a candidate of one tribe,” Kogar said, emphasizing his appeal to all the diverse ethnic groups within Nimba.”
The rivalry between Bility and Koung, and the broader battle between the CMC and the MDR, is about more than just local politics.
The outcome of this by-election will have far-reaching consequences, not only for Nimba but for Liberia as a whole. Will the MDR, which has produced some of Liberia’s most influential political figures—including the president —maintain its control over Nimba, or will Bility’s CMC succeed in breaking the party’s hold on the county?
