Senator Kogar Accuses Gov’t of Orchestrating His Expulsion As Amy Johnson Slams MDR Officials
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA — Nimba County Senator Samuel G. Kogar on Saturday accused the Boakai administration of deploying police forces to intimidate the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) into expelling him from the party, as the National Executive Committee voted unanimously to strip the Nimba County lawmaker of his membership.
“The heavy police presence raises serious concerns and gives the appearance of an attempt to intimidate and silence legitimate political expression, which is protected under the laws of Liberia,” Kogar wrote in a statement, as the MDR’s National Executive Committee prepared to deliver a final decision against him at the party’s Congo Town headquarters.
The senator’s accusation came hours before the MDR formally expelled him on August 29, with the National Executive Committee voting 33–0 to remove him from the party and ordering his photograph removed from the headquarters. An Ad-hoc Board of Inquiry had recommended his ouster based on explicit violations of the party’s constitution and internal mandates.
“Liberia is a country governed by law,” Kogar declared. “Any action taken against me outside the proper legal and constitutional process will be challenged through the appropriate legal means.”
The senator called on the international community, the Liberian people, civil society, and the media to closely monitor developments at the party headquarters, insisting that “what is happening at the MDR Party Headquarters today is a government-backed effort to remove me from the party without due process.” “I remain committed to peace, the rule of law, and the democratic process,” Kogar added.
MDR Cites Constitutional Violations
The MDR’s decision to expel Kogar stems from his refusal to support Hon. Kortor S. Kwagrue, the party’s democratically nominated flagbearer for the Buu-Yao District #5 representative by-election. The party constitution mandates that all members must support endorsed candidates or temporarily and peacefully suspend their membership—a requirement Kogar neither fulfilled nor sought.
Rather than promoting party unity, Kogar publicly told voters to “make their own decisions,” a move party leadership condemned as a complete undermining of organizational cohesion and discipline.
MDR Chairman Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah accused Kogar of “playing opposition” while being part of a party actively collaborating within the ruling Unity Party alliance. The Ad-hoc Board of Inquiry’s recommendation cited failure to support endorsed candidates, violation of party mandates, and public dissension as grounds for removal. Kogar replaced the late Senator Prince Johnson in the Liberian Senate.
Political Shift in Nimba County
Kogar’s expulsion marks a seismic shift in Nimba County’s political landscape, exposing a deepening power struggle between the senator and Vice President Jeremiah Koung over who would succeed the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson as the county’s political “godfather.”
Prior to the expulsion, leaks revealed intense rivalry between Kogar and Koung for control of the party’s machinery following Johnson’s death. Representatives for Kogar had previously issued ultimatums threatening to break away and form his own political party if party leadership failed to meet his demands.
The MDR’s decision effectively consolidates Koung’s influence over the party’s direction while sidelining Kogar, who now faces an uncertain political future. The senator’s expulsion strips him of party backing and raises questions about his ability to maintain his political base in Nimba County.
Kogar has signaled his intention to challenge the expulsion through legal channels, arguing that the party failed to follow proper constitutional procedures. Kogar’s expulsion from the MDR reshapes Nimba County’s political calculus ahead of the 2027 elections. As one of Liberia’s most vote-rich counties, Nimba commands significant electoral influence, and the fracture within its dominant political force could have national implications.
With Kogar now estranged from the party and Vice President Koung emerging as the undisputed leader of the MDR’s Nimba machinery, the stage is set for a fierce political contest in the county. Whether Kogar will form his own party, seek alliance with opposition forces, or challenge the expulsion in court remains to be seen.
For now, the senator has made clear his intention to fight—both legally and politically—even as he insists he remains “committed to peace, the rule of law, and the democratic process.”
“Politics Is a Dirty Game”
In a social media outburst that has since gone viral, Amy Johnson, daughter of the late Nimba Senator Prince Y. Johnson, delivered a scathing response to her uncle’s expulsion, mixing mockery, grief, and bitter accusations against party figures she claims betrayed her father while he was still alive.
“I will always say it today till the world ends Politics is a dirty game. In politics, there’s no friendship or family. Anybody can fuck you up, even the last person you expect,” Amy wrote, reacting to videos circulating of Kogar’s dismissal.
Addressing Senator Kogar directly, she offered a sardonic condolence: “Now let me give my one or two cents because this is also part of my dad’s legacy. Firstly, I will say sorry, Uncle, because I guess you didn’t see this coming. Whatever those people did to you yesterday was something they already planned and concluded already.”
But her tone quickly turned from mock sympathy to a stark warning rooted in personal tragedy: “Just be careful before you get a heart attack like my late dad because it was his own people who sent him to where he is now. And here they all are fighting for his properties.”
Amy then pivoted to a pointed critique of the party leadership, calling out those she accused of hypocrisy and opportunism. “I see plenty of you guys in this video who betrayed my late dad, but wait, I wanna ask a question: Why is everyone of you coming back to this party after my dad is gone?? Because the last time I checked, you all resigned from the party.”
She drew a direct parallel between her father’s final years and Kogar’s current predicament. “Even my uncle, you all joined together to remove. That shows how strong Kogar is. Because you all did this same thing to my dad.”
In her most explosive allegation, Amy revealed what she described as a humiliating slight against her father during his illness. “Imagine someone you made telling you, ‘I can only give you $5,000 to pay a lawyer.’ If Ellen and George could buy him time, why couldn’t you do the same???”
She then connected the political maneuvering to Liberia’s unresolved transitional justice issues, accusing party insiders of abandoning the quest for accountability now that her father is no longer a political shield. “Now I ask: What happened to the war crime court (TRC)? Ohh, I understand. PYJ is gone, so TRC is gone with him. Shame on you all. You’re all a disgrace.”
Amy ended her tirade with a defiant challenge to her detractors: “And before coming for me, hope you got new stories about my life, not the old ones you know. Nonsense. Ehhh, will reach the owners.”
