District 8 Former Lawmaker Accuses Vice President Koung of Promoting Tribal Division and Constitutional Violation

Monrovia, Liberia: Former Representative of Montserrado County Electoral District #8 Acarous Moses Gray has launched a scathing attack on Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung.

The defeated lawmaker in the 2023 presidential and legislative elections has accused the VP of allegedly promoting tribal division in Nimba County and violating Article 5(c) of the Liberian Constitution. 

In a strongly worded statement posted via his official social media (Facebook) handle, Gray accused the Vice President of undermining national unity for political gain by his action in the campaign of Representative Samuel Kogar in the upcoming April 22, 2025, senatorial by-election in Nimba County.

The former lawmaker Gray believes VP Koung’s actions and recent public rhetoric are fueling dangerous tribal sentiments in a county long known for its multi-ethnic harmony in gross violation of Article 5(c) of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which mandates the promotion of national unity and the elimination of tribalism and sectionalism.

“The people of Nimba have always lived in harmony and don’t see themselves as Mano, Gio, Mandingo, Krahn, Kpelle, or Gbi,” Gray asserted.

Gray’s claims come amid growing political tensions in Nimba County, Liberia’s second-most populated region and a critical stronghold in national elections.

Political pundits are of the conviction that any attempt to divide the region along tribal lines could have far-reaching consequences not just for local governance but for national stability.

What makes the accusation more significant is Vice President Koung’s influential position in the government as the second-in-command to President Joseph Boakai.

Gray argues that Koung’s alleged tribal favoritism poses a dangerous threat to constitutional governance, saying, “Being the second man in control of the country makes it even more dangerous for you to violate the Liberian Constitution.”

The District #8 former lawmaker further accused Koung of prioritizing his private interests over public health while claiming that over one million U.S. dollars were allegedly inserted in the national budget for Koung’s private hospital, as public healthcare facilities across Nimba were neglected.

Adding to the controversy, Gray revisited a past legislative effort where he championed the bill to grant statutory status to fallen Senator Prince Yormie Johnson College.

According to Gray, VP Koung and senatorial candidate Samuel Kogar discouraged and thwarted the move, yet Gary argues that today, both men (Koung and Kogar) claim to honor the legacy of the late Senator Johnson.

Gray also accused the two lawmakers of unethical conduct during the Ebola crisis. “The ambulances donated to Nimba County by Americans were sold to the Liberian government,” he alleged.

If this allegation is true, the act does not breach public trust alone but also potentially endanger lives during one of Liberia’s deadliest health emergency crises.

Gray also alleged that Representative Samuel Kogar previously advocated for splitting Nimba into two counties, a move that was resisted by the late Senator Prince Johnson. “Kogar insulted Senator Johnson for standing against it,” Gray recalled, suggesting a pattern of political opportunism masked as regional loyalty.

In what seems to be Gray's final blow of accusations, he accused Koung and Kogar of rigging the senatorial election that brought Koung to power.

He alleged that the votes of Madam Edith Gongloe Weh, a key rival candidate, were stolen. “We are coming to Nimba not just to tell the truth, but to protect her stolen votes in the last election,” Gray declared, signaling a potential mobilization ahead of future elections.

Political observers believe Gray’s statement could signal the beginning of a broader campaign to expose what he describes as betrayal and manipulation by powerful Nimba lawmakers.

As electoral integrity is facing public scrutiny, the political spotlight is once again on Nimba — a county whose peace and unity could shape the course of Liberia’s democratic future.