The National Youth League of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) issued a press release accusing the ruling Unity Party of orchestrating a massive electoral fraud scheme in Nimba County. The Youth League claims the Unity Party has pumped an estimated four hundred million Liberian dollars (L$400M) into the region in a desperate attempt to influence the outcome of the looming Nimba by-election.
The statement highlighted the alleged bribery campaign as part of a broader assault on democracy, while simultaneously announcing the immediate suspension of two of its own high-ranking officials, Martin Fahn, Secretary General, and Armstrong Marziah, Deputy Secretary General for Administration. The suspended leaders, once considered loyal party stalwarts, now stand accused of betraying the CDC’s revolutionary cause by openly supporting Samuel G. Kogar, the Unity Party’s candidate in the Nimba race.
According to the Youth League, the decision to suspend Fahn and Marziah was not made lightly but is meant to send a strong message to all party loyalists that betrayal of the movement’s ideals will not be tolerated. “To support Kogar and his bloody political benefactors is to desecrate the struggle of our grassroots,” the statement read. The Youth League portrayed Kogar as a puppet candidate, handpicked by a “murderous regime” whose policies have left the Liberian people mired in poverty, disease, and disillusionment.
Beyond internal disciplinary actions, the RNYL turned its attention to what it described as a flagrant abuse of power by several government officials appointed by the Unity Party. The League accuses a number of these officials of openly engaging in political activities in support of Kogar, thereby violating Section 5.1 of the Code of Conduct for public officials. That section prohibits presidential appointees from participating in political campaigns or contesting elective offices while still serving in government.
In its statement, the Youth League demanded swift legal action against the alleged violators and called for their immediate resignation or dismissal. The League charged that these public servants have misused state assets and their influence to sway the election in Kogar’s favor, actions that amount to, in their words, “constitutional sabotage.
”Perhaps the most damning portion of the press release centered on what the RNYL describes as a coordinated bribery and voter manipulation campaign. The Youth League alleges that L$400 million has been funneled into Nimba County to buy votes, threaten officials, and “twist the will of the people.” The League claims that Vice President Jeremiah Koung has been personally involved in the effort, accusing him of hosting secret meetings with election magistrates at his farm in Ganta to strategize on how to rig the vote for Kogar.
In response to what it views as a full-scale assault on democracy, the CDC Youth League has pledged to launch a counteroffensive. The League says it is deploying what it calls a “revolutionary defense of democracy” that includes legal observers, grassroots mobilizers, and vote defenders across the length and breadth of Nimba County. The League insists that no village is too remote and no polling station too insignificant to be left unguarded.
The statement concluded with a direct appeal to the citizens of Nimba County, urging them to reject financial inducements, resist intimidation, and vote with their conscience. “This is not just an election,” the statement declared. “This is a revolutionary stand for dignity, justice, and truth.”
