By Thomas Domah/ Nimba County
Nimba County lawmakers are divided on who to support in the election for Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers’ disarray is as a result of two members of the county caucus vying for the position.
Representative Samuel Kogar of electoral district#5 and newly-elected district#7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility, are at each other’s throats for the post.
Representative Bility is said to be favorite of many of the caucus members, as many of them are currently sponsoring his dream to become the second most powerful man in the House, while Representative Samuel Kogar, who has just been reelected for a third term, is not receiving much support from his colleagues.
A few days ago, kingmaker Senator Prince Johnson, who allegedly received money from Bility, asked lawmakers who got elected on tickets of his MDR party and the Unity Party to vote for Bility.
He referred to the incoming lawmaker as the best and well-equipped candidate for the position, rather than his nephew, Samuel Kogar who hails from the same town within District#5.
The rest of the few lawmakers from the Liberty Party are also rallying behind Bility.
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Speaking on a community radio station in Ganta, Nimba County, Bility said his initial dream was to become Speaker, not Deputy Speaker.
However, he explained that executives of the elected Unity Party, including Vice President-elect, Senator Jeremiah Koung prevailed on him to go for the Deputy Speaker position instead.
He said the high-level engagement with the Unity Party led him to drop his ambition for the third highest position in the government and to contest for Deputy Speaker.
“Most of them are in support of my dream of becoming leader for them. I’m not a small boy in politics, been involved in Liberia politics for a long period”, Bility added.
He revealed that 19 of his colleagues who are fully supporting him were turned over to the UP to support its candidate for the Speaker position, Representative Richard Nagbe Koon of Montserrado County District #11.
He narrated that after the engagement with the Unity Party, he consented to run for the deputy post, as many engaged also Kogar, but he is not willing to back off.
Most Nimbaians have been in support of the county getting the Deputy Speaker position, including former Sanniquellie Mehn district commissioner Gabriel Dunbar, Gatah Gbanlon, and others.
Former Commissioner Dunbar maintained that winning such position will boost the county’s image.
But Representative Samuel G. Kogar, who refers to himself as an old man in the business that knows his left and right when it comes to lawmaking, is more suitable for the job than someone like Bility who is just entering the Capitol.
He terms Bility’s engagement with him as a disgrace to mankind, accusing the incoming lawmaker of using cash violence to persuade him (Kogar) to forgo his dream.
But District #5 says he remains resolute and will not give off to anyone, vowing to continue with his campaign activities for the Deputy Speaker bid. Editing by Jonathan Browne
