Buchanan – A fresh political rivalry has again, been reignited between two of Grand Bassa’s leaders in the Liberian Senate in what appears to be a war of words battle over the controversial Steelfort deal.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
Both Senate President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, and fellow Grand Bassa County Senator Gbehzohngar Findley engaged in claims and counterclaims over the contentious signing of the Steelfort deal.
Speaking via mobile phone on the Dumboy Show on local media outlet Ableejay Radio and TV, Pro-tempore Karnga-Lawrence accused Senator Findley and others involved in the signing of the deal as BM and fraud.
According to her, the deal had been marred by manipulation and fraudulent practices, undermining transparency and accountability in the Senate.
Her comments immediately sparked a fiery reaction from Senator Findley, who dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
While Karnga-Lawrence maintains that the deal reflects a broader pattern of fraudulent behavior by some senators, Findley insists that her claims are fabrications meant to tarnish his reputation.
Sen. Findley, who also called on the show minutes later in response to the head of the Liberian Senate, accused her of being an all-time liar.
Sen. Findley accused Pro-tempore Karnga-Lawrence of wrongly using the situation to score political grade at the expense of the ordinary Bassa people.
“She lies all the time. Senator Lawrence is using falsehoods to score political points and distract the public from the real issues facing the country and the county.”
The Steelfort deal, though yet to be fully explained in public, has increasingly become a lightning rod for controversy within the Legislature, most especially so among members of the Grand Bassa County Legislative Caucus with rival camps accusing each other of shady dealings and betrayal of public trust.
Political rivalry between the two arrow heads of Grand Bassa can be traced as far back as 2013, when Senator Karnga-Lawrence by then just burst onto the national scene by winning in a by-election to become the first female Senator from Grand Bassa County.
She was backed by a coalition that included several parties and received support from members of the ruling Unity Party.
Sen. Findley, who was representing Grand Bassa at the Upper House of Liberia’s unicameral legislature, was already an experienced legislator having first been elected in 2005 eventually serving as President Pro-Tempore of the Senate in 2012.
The Rift Over Power – The 2024 Presidential Pro-Tempore Election
The rivalry became more direct in January 2024, when the Senate race for President Pro-Tempore divided loyalties.
Though Sen. Findley initially accepted nomination but withdrew from the process, citing “traditional political practice” and consultations with his supporters.
That decision led Sen. Karnga-Lawrence to secure the position in a white-ballot election, thus making her the first female head of the Senate after many years.
Differing Party Trajectories—and Internal Fractures
Senator Karnga-Lawrence has been a central figure in the Liberty Party (LP), becoming the party’s political leader after the death of Cllr. Charles Brumskine.
Under her gavel, the party fractured with Musa Bility as chairman holding onto Collaborating Political Party loyalty.
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