— As Delegates Express Frustration
By: Shallon S. Gonlor |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — The 2026 elective convention of Nimba Kwado Liberia Inc. ended prematurely, drawing intense scrutiny as more than 200 delegates voiced frustration over the conduct of new leadership election.
Nimba Kwado Liberia, Inc. is a prominent socio-cultural and advocacy organization representing the citizens and interests of Nimba County across Liberia.
The 2026 elective convention drew attention from the start, but ended abruptly on Saturday amid controversy and disorder.
Held at Tubman Hall in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, from May 14–16, the gathering was objective to holding special election on Saturday, May 16, instead, the process was marred by irregularities including the lack of ballot papers and allegation of fraudulent activities.
“Nimba Kwado” translates to “Nimba is One” or “United Nimba” in the local dialect, a name that captures the organization’s core mission: to promote unity, civic development, and infrastructural growth across the region.
According to disenchanted delegates, the Executive Organizing Committee boycotted the electoral process, prematurely ending the four-day union gathering in split, as majority delegates left lately Saturday’s night frustrated. Founded in late 1997, the organizing was established to unite Nimbaians at home and abroad and to advocate for their collective interests.
All three declared presidential candidates include Isaac L. Dahn, Patience Neylemon Bahn, and Randall J. Farngalo. With the Executive Organizing Committee inactive, delegates were unable to proceed with a legitimate electoral process, leaving the convention in a complete disenchantment and disunity.
The disorder has since casts doubt on the legitimacy of any outcome that might emerge from the rump session, and sets the stage for a potential leadership dispute within Nimba Kwado Liberia Inc. A majority number of delegates who remained on ground, however, attributed the inactivity to disunity among executive organizing committee and alleged serious corruption of transportation funds mismanagement by the convention’s organizing committee.
At the center of the dispute is an over Four Million Six Hundred Thousand Liberian Dollars in transportation funds that delegates say should be disbursed or accounted for before polling began. Aggrieved delegates said, each of the 200+ delegates is supposed to receive approximately LR$23,000 to cover round-trip transportation reimbursement upon arrival to Sanniquellie for the elective convention, but transportation funds have not been provided till election day on Saturday.
They argued that Executive Organizing Committee’s failure to pay out the funds fueled accusations of financial opacity and eroded confidence in the committee’s ability to run a credible election. What was intended as a unifying convention in the organization’s history quickly turned divisive. Poor logistical arrangements fueled existing tensions, while a brewing leadership dispute among potential presidential candidates and other members further split the group. By the time voting was supposed to begin, the process had unraveled, leaving members uncertain about the path forward for new leadership.
