GANTA, Nimba County – The ruling Unity Party is under mounting criticism after several of its high-ranking officials — many of them presidential appointees — openly endorsed senatorial candidate Samuel G. Kogar of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) at a campaign rally on Saturday, prompting accusations of hypocrisy and a clear violation of Liberia’s Code of Conduct.
By Selma Lomax/ [email protected]
The endorsement, held in Nimba County just days ahead of the April 22 senatorial by-election, has stirred outrage among civil society groups and opposition politicians.
Critics say it highlights a disturbing contradiction between the Unity Party’s current actions and the standards it once championed while in opposition.
At the center of the firestorm is Section 5.1(c) of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Employees of the Government of Liberia, which unambiguously states: “All officials appointed by the President of the Republic of Liberia shall not serve on a campaign team of any political party, or the campaign of any independent candidate.”
Despite not wearing party regalia, the visible participation of top Unity Party officials in the Kogar endorsement has been widely interpreted as an alignment with the candidate’s political campaign —thereby breaching both the letter and intent of the Code.
Among those present at the event were Luther Tarpeh, the party’s national chairman and Chairman of the Board of the National Port Authority; Ben A. Fofana, Commissioner at the Liberia Telecommunications Authority; Cornelia Togba, Deputy Minister of State for Presidential Affairs; Whroway Bryant, Superintendent of Montserrado County; Amos Tweh, an employee at the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company; James Yolei, Assistant Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Emmanuel Farr, Deputy Director for Administration at the National Fire Service; Selena Polson Mappy, Deputy Minister for Operations; and Togar Melvin Cephas, Deputy Director for Administration at the National Transit Authority.
These officials, while serving in their official capacities, stood in open support of Kogar, a move that many say undercuts the Unity Party’s own stated commitment to the rule of law.
The criticism is particularly pointed given the party’s prior stance. During the 2020 midterm senatorial elections, the Unity Party — then in opposition — lambasted the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) for appointing presidential appointees to its national campaign team, calling it a “gross violation” of the Code of Conduct.
At the time, the party declared: “Democratic governance is meaningless when the laws governing the conduct of elections are disrespected, ignored and violated.”
“The conduct of election does not guarantee democracy,” the Unity Party said in 2020. “The foundation of democracy is grounded in respect for the rule of law. When this happens, democracy grows; it is deepened and consolidated.”
Now, in power, the Unity Party faces accusations of contradicting its past moral posture.
The Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), led by Representative Musa Hassan Bility, has formally complained to the Office of the Ombudsman, describing the Unity Party’s actions as “a blatant disregard for the law” that endangers Liberia’s democratic process.
“This constitutes a breach of the Code of Conduct and threatens the sanctity of our democratic process,” the group stated in a letter dated April 13.
CMC also rebuked Vice President Jeremiah Koung for his participation, despite the Unity Party not fielding a candidate in the race. “As a leader of this county, I did not expect him to be part of this campaign,” Bility remarked.
The April 22 by-election was triggered by the death of longtime Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson in November 2024. Under Article 37 of Liberia’s Constitution, a legislative vacancy must be filled within 90 days, and the race to replace Johnson is widely seen as a test of political power in Liberia’s second-most populous county.
Religious leaders have also weighed in. A Liberian pastor speaking under the platform “The Eschatology Desk” condemned what he called double standards in government, stating, “What was seen as wrong yesterday and condemned should not be praised and ignored today.”
The silence of the Office of the Ombudsman in the wake of the complaint has left many questioning the government’s willingness to uphold its own laws. That silence has only intensified criticism of the Boakai administration’s approach to governance.
The controversy surrounding the Kogar endorsement comes amid a broader pattern of what critics say is politicization of government. At the start of President Joseph Boakai’s tenure, his administration swiftly removed or suspended several officials from tenured positions, citing violations of the Code of Conduct and other infractions.
Among those affected were Garrison Yealue, Chairperson of the Governance Commission, and Elizabeth Dorkin, a Commissioner, both of whom were suspended for “activities inconsistent with the Act creating the institution.” The administration also removed top officials at the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, citing similar concerns.
Initially, the Boakai government attempted to fill these roles through direct appointments, despite the statutory protections afforded to tenured positions.
When legal and procedural obstacles arose, the administration pivoted —suspending those already in office and calling for audits while installing acting officials aligned with the Unity Party. These moves, according to governance advocates, amounted to a circumvention of legal safeguards.
“This is not just about the Code of Conduct anymore,” said one legal analyst. “It’s about consistency in governance, respect for tenure, and whether this administration is truly committed to the democratic principles it so often proclaims.”
As the April 22 election approaches, the Unity Party’s handling of these controversies may not only shape public opinion in Nimba County but also define the broader narrative of its first year in power.
