By Jeremiah B. Gayflor, II
Nimba County Correspondent – Verity
Buu-Yao District, Nimba County — Just weeks ahead of the much-anticipated August 12, 2025 representative by-elections in Buu-Yao District, Nimba County, certified candidate Sampson Wonnah has officially withdrawn from the race.
Wonnah, one of eleven candidates part of National Elections Commission (NEC) preliminary list to contest the vacant seat, announced his decision following the death of his uncle, Totlor Wantee, on July 15, 2025.
In a statement, Mr. Wonnah expressed that with the elections only three weeks away, it would be emotionally and logistically difficult to manage both the mourning and funeral preparations alongside the rigorous demands of campaigning.
“This is a deeply personal loss,” he said. “Balancing the emotional weight of my uncle’s passing with the urgency and intensity of an election campaign is not something I can responsibly take on at this moment.”
He added that consultations with key stakeholders are ongoing and that he will make a public statement soon regarding his political future.
The upcoming by-election was triggered by a vacancy in the House of Representatives after former Representative Samuel Gonhbahn Kogar was elected to the Liberian Senate.
Upon his withdrawal, the National Elections Commission has come out with a final list of ten candidates to contest for the seat.
