The Lone female candidate in the Nimba Senatorial By-election dismisses allegation brought against her as political propaganda.
By S. Matthew M. Quoi, Jr., Nimba County
Nimba County, Liberia, April 7, 2025 – Madam Edith Gongloe-Weh, the lone female candidate in the April 22nd Nimba County Senatorial By-Election, dismisses recent allegation of voter registration irregularities brought against her as political propaganda designed to tarnish her hard-earned reputation.
The National Elections Commission (NEC) recently received a complaint from the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), accusing Madam Gongloe-Weh of not possessing a valid 2023 biometric voter ID.
However, before the NEC could officially trash the complaint, the MDR hurriedly withdrew the case, prompting Gongloe-Weh to suggest the complaint was baseless and politically motivated.
“This was a calculated move by the MDR to stain my name, knowing the reputation I have built over the years,” Madam Gongloe-Weh states during a press briefing.
She strongly denies claims that her sister had registered on her behalf, labeling the accusation as “a desperate lie.”
Addressing concerns about her voter ID photo, she explains the photo discrepancy with humor, saying she looked “much younger” because she had just returned from the United States.
“Let me tell you the secret,” Madam Gongloe-Weh says with a smile. “I had just come from America, and when you come from the cold, your skin looks fresh. That’s why I looked younger.”
She emphasizes that her sister, Mercy, does not resemble her, and to claim the photo was Mercy’s, is completely “out of order.”
Gongloe-Weh reiterates her clean record, noting that she has never engaged in fraudulent activities, especially not regarding voter registration.
Asked if she would sue the MDR for defamation, Gongloe-Weh says she has no intention of doing so, adding that the party has already lost public trust.
“They have been sued in the court of public opinion,” she notes confidently.
She urges the MDR to go on air and admit their actions, which she described as a “deliberate and calculated propaganda.”
The MDR’s complaint, she says, defied logic, especially considering the biometric system in place that makes impersonation impossible due to unique fingerprint identification.
“They know no two persons can share the same fingerprint, yet they spread this propaganda across the internet to mislead the public,” she adds.
At the same time, she accuses her opponents of being afraid of her growing popularity, so they are trying to undermine her candidacy through misinformation.
She recalls that this wasn’t the first time she had faced such smear tactics in her political career.
Over the years, she has faced formidable male opponents and endured harsh political climates, but she has remained resilient and committed to serving Nimba County.
Her first Senatorial race was in 2011, when she lost to former Senator Thomas Grupee.
In 2014, she contested in the Special Senatorial Election against the late Senator Prince Johnson but was again unsuccessful.
In 2017, she faced off against Jeremiah Kpan Koung, who is now Liberia’s Vice President, and lost for a third time.
Despite these defeats, Gongloe-Weh has remained a persistent and inspirational figure in Nimba County politics.
She continues to advocate for gender equity and has called on women across the county to support her historic bid.
“I have struggled for this county and for our women for years. Now is the time for us to rise together,” she declares.
Madam Gongloe-Weh believes 2025 may finally be the year she breaks the political glass ceiling in Nimba.
With resilience and hope, she enters the by-election confident that the people of Nimba will choose integrity, experience, and vision over propaganda. Editing by Jonathan Browne
