MONROVIA – Jonah Togbah, a former member of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), says influential party figures in Bong County kept prominent local politicians out of government during the Weah administration. He says Wednesday’s appointments under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai show how quickly political fortunes can turn.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
Togbah, who hails from Bong, said capable people who helped bring the CDC-led coalition to power in 2017 were denied a place in government. In his view, some party actors cared more about guarding their own influence than about widening opportunity.
His remarks follow the appointments Wednesday of two Bong sons to the Boakai government: Attorney George S. Mulbah, chairman of the opposition National Patriotic Party (NPP), and Ambassador Jeremiah C. Sulunteh.
Few ministers for a major county
Togbah began with Bong’s share of top executive jobs. Bong is the third most populous county in Liberia, and it produced Jewel Howard-Taylor, who was vice president for all six years of George Manneh Weah’s presidency. Even so, he said, only one Bong citizen, Dr. Mogana Flomo, served as a minister under Weah. Dr. Flomo was dismissed almost three years into the administration, and the county had no minister for the rest of the term.
Togbah called that outcome disappointing, given Bong’s role in the coalition’s victory and the presence of one of its own in the second-highest office in the country. “How does a county of this weight go for years without a minister?” he asked, in substance.
He acknowledged that the vice presidency and ministerial appointments are separate constitutional and political matters. He said the question remains why Bong’s influence did not produce wider representation in the executive branch.
Mulbah’s late appointment
Togbah then turned to Mulbah, whose NPP was one of two parties that joined Mr. Weah’s CDC to form the Coalition for Democratic Change. That coalition carried Weah to the presidency in 2017, and Mulbah and other NPP members played roles in building it.
Mulbah was named to head the Liberia Aviation Authority only about eight months before the Weah government left office in January 2024. Togbah said that timing raises questions about how seriously Bong stakeholders were accommodated.
He said the late consideration pointed to a deeper problem in the county’s party leadership. According to him, some powerful figures were uneasy with the rising profile of others who might challenge their standing or pursue separate political ambitions.
Sulunteh’s decision to join the CDC
Togbah also cited Sulunteh, who served as Liberia’s ambassador to the United States under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. When he endorsed and joined the CDC, the move was widely seen as significant, given his government experience and standing in Bong. His support for Weah in the 2017 campaign made him one of the Bong figures who helped broaden the coalition’s appeal.
But Togbah said Sulunteh did not receive the recognition he expected after crossing over. He alleged that certain influential actors in the county viewed Sulunteh’s growing relevance with suspicion. He said they treated his earlier service to the nation as if it counted for little because of his new CDC ties.
Party affiliation, Togbah argued, should not have decided who deserved recognition. He said Sulunteh’s experience and his contribution to the coalition should have counted when national service opportunities were distributed.
Yallah and the road to 2029
Togbah also named former Senator Henry W. Yallah, who lost the 2020 senatorial race in Bong. He said Yallah was among those expected to be considered for a government post after his defeat.
According to Togbah, some political actors were uncomfortable with the idea of Yallah remaining relevant through an appointment. He said that unease grew as calculations about the county’s future leadership and the 2029 elections began to take shape. He said that rivalry for influence created an atmosphere in which experienced people were pushed aside.
Criticism not aimed at Weah
Togbah took care to separate the former president from his criticism. He described Weah as a humble man who cared about ordinary Liberians, whatever their background or place of origin.
His complaint, he said, is with those entrusted with managing political relationships and coordinating CDC affairs in Bong. He said securing inclusion was the responsibility of influential party figures as well as the president.
Political leadership, he said, should not be reduced to protecting personal interests, consolidating influence or preventing other capable people from emerging. He argued that a successful administration should make room for people of varied backgrounds and ambitions to contribute to national development.
Loyalty held through 2023
Togbah said the alleged exclusion did not break the loyalty of those affected. Mulbah, Sulunteh and other stakeholders kept supporting Weah’s reelection bid in 2023, despite their disagreements and disappointments. He described that continued support as proof of political commitment, shown even when some felt their contributions had gone unrecognized.
The 2023 election, however, ended differently. Boakai, who served as vice president under Sirleaf, defeated Weah and became president. The change opened a new chapter for people whose ties to the previous government had been marked by disagreement and unmet expectations.
Thanks to Moye and Boakai
Togbah said the appointments of Mulbah and Sulunteh mark a major turn in their careers. He said they show that political setbacks do not necessarily determine the outcome of a person’s public service ambitions.
He gave particular credit to Senator Prince K. Moye, whom he said made recommendations that helped open doors for the two men. He thanked the senator for an intervention that, in his words, placed competence, inclusion and recognition of qualified people above past political differences.
He said Senator Moye’s role deserves recognition because appointing prominent Bong citizens should be viewed beyond partisan lines. In his view, it is a chance to strengthen the county’s participation in national governance.
Togbah also congratulated the two appointees, saying their new roles show the value of perseverance in public life. He thanked President Boakai for judging them worthy of national service, saying their backgrounds and contributions should be recognized regardless of past affiliations.
He said the appointments send a message that political differences should not permanently bar qualified Liberians from serving.
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