Gompa — Vice President Jeremiah Koung didn't cast his vote during Tuesday's senatorial by-election in Nimba County, much to the disappointment of his supporters and party members.
Nimbians (natives of the county) voted in a by-election created as the result of former Senator Koung's rise as vice president to President Joseph Boakai of the Unity Party on October 10, 2023.
Vice President Koung is number 92 on the voter roll displayed at Polling Place Two at the Young Men Christian Association precinct in Ganta.
Journalists arrived at the venue of the precinct early enough and waited until 6:00 pm without the vice president in sight. Based on the National Elections Commission (NEC) election guidelines, anyone not in line at the polling place by 6:00 pm would not be permitted to vote in the election.
There were a few voters in line as at the time journalists left the Vice President Koung's polling center at 6:15 pm.
His wife, Stephenie Dahn-Koung and his aides, however, voted at Polling Place Two.
The vice president has always voted at the Young Men Christian Associations ( YMCA) precinct since he first contested as representative of Nimba's district one in 2011, and again voted at the same polling place during his re-election in 2017. In 2020, he was one of the first voters to cast his vote at the same center during the senatorial midterm elections. He voted during the 2023 presidential election when he contested as running mate to Boakai.
The reason for the failure of the Liberian vice president to exercise his civic responsibility was yet unknown at the time of filing this report.
Vice President Koung's absence has generated mixed feelings in the county, but pundits say the former Nimba lawmaker is trying to salvage the strained relationship between him and his political godfather, Sen. Prince Johnson, who has fallen apart with the Unity Party and rather supports Samuel Kogar of the People Unification Party.
VP Koung's strained relationship with PYJ
Senator Johnson and his estranged political godson, Vice President Koung appear to be at war over their choice of candidate in the election.
Senator Johnson supports Rep. Kogar while VP Koung has declared support for Twayen. Unlike other disagreements between Vice President Koung and Senator Johnson which are often shrouded in secrecy, the raging battle between the Nimba senator and the vice president has since snowballed into a major discussion in the county and could affect the outcome of the election.
Nimbians in their characteristic manner, are deeply divided on who is right or wrong. But not so for political pundits and victims of betrayal. For them, the vice president has cut off the golden hand that fed him.
Vice President Koung's rise in politics since 2011 owes much to Senator Johnson's support. It was Senator Johnson's support that paved the way for his re-election as representative in 2017, and similarly, he campaigned for Vice President Koung in 2020 to become senator at the expense of his former political ally, Thomas Grupee.
Senator Johnson in an extensive interview with a local radio station, has explained reasons behind his face-off with the vice president. Senator Johnson who initially said he didn't want to talk about the matter later declared: "Give a man power and money, that is when you will know the person. If you have not given a man power and money, don't say you know the person.
"He may be your friend, he may be your son, sister or mother or father. I don't want to go into that."
Low turnout, peaceful poll
Voting commenced in some of the precinct centers in the Sanniquellei and Bah regions early Tuesday, with a low turnout of voters.
A visit by our reporter observed that most polling staff at precinct areas arrived very early with election materials.
Some of the voters who spoke to FrontPageAfrica expressed their joy to participate in the poll, saying that they wanted to perform their civic responsibility.
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Mr. Moses Yormie, a voter, told FrontPageAfrica after voting that he was glad to have participated in the election.
He appealed to NEC) to allow the will of the people to prevail in the election.
"We are appealing to NEC to allow our votes to count and let the will of the people prevail.
"We must get what we voted for without any manipulation at the end of the election," he said.
A 60-year-old resident of Sanniquellei, Samuel Dolo , commended the Government of Liberia for ensuring adequate security for the people, saying the atmosphere was very peaceful.
Dolo also commended the security agencies for being fully on the ground to protect the voters without any intimidation.
"We urge NEC to do the needful and give us what we voted for. They should not manipulate the results of the election," he said.
