The perceived ‘bad blood’ between Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, and Nimba County Senator Samuel Gongben Kogar, has gone to the extent that two men don’t speak to each other anymore.
The drama reportedly ensued at the Capitol Building, especially in the Senate Chamber, when Sen. Kogar refused to speak to the VP while the VP was presiding.
On Thursday, October 16, 2025, Vice President Koung briefly presided over session of the Senate, taking the gavel from Montserrado County Senator, Abraham D. Dillon, who was presiding as the most senior in session.
In less than a minute, when VP Koung took over from Dillion, Sen. Kogar walked in without greeting the presiding officer; a situation that raised concern among fellow senators, especially Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, and Dillon.
It is a tradition in the Senate that whenever a senator walks in, he or she is under a moral obligation to either greet the presiding officer from afar, or approach the presiding officer with a handshake, and share thoughts before taking their seat.
Disappointingly, during the entire presiding of VP Koung, Sen. Korgar did not speak in session, nor did the Vice President recognize him.
Later, Sen. Snowe approached Kogar of his “wrong for him to keep speech in public glare from the VP.”
Snowe then accused Kogar of “keeping speech, because he wants to become Liberia’s next Vice President too.”
Sen. Snowe also said Sen. Kogar is keeping speech, “because he wants the late Senator Prince Johnson’s Polytechnic University to be put on sale to an external client, for which he (Kogar) is siding with the late PYJ’s widow, Amira Boyidee Johnson, warning that he will sell the University, and “eat the money in no time.”
But in response, Sen. Kogar said there is nothing wrong for a sitting Vice President, and incoming not to speak to each other, which indicates that, truly, he has eyes fixed on the office of Vice President.
When VP Koung left the senate, and Sen. Dillon took over the session, Sen. Kogar raised his hand to enquire about his communication written to the Senate earlier.
On that, Dillon questioned the Kogar’s taciturn posture when the VP presided.
“Why the Vice President was presiding, you did not ask about your communication. It is simple, you did not ask, because you people are keeping speech from each other. Now, I want you to know, there is a procedure here that if a person writes any communication, and he or she is not in session, the communication cannot be read until the writer is present. Therefore, we will look at the communication in the next session.” Sen. Snowe responded to Kogar.
Recently, relations between VP Koung and Sen. Kogar have been strained. This followed Kogar’s assertions against VP Koung of “disrespect.”
The disagreement steamed from reported plan to sell the late PYJ’s University, the appointment of some officials by President Joseph N. Boakai without the involvement of Sen. Kogar, and the political leadership of the opposition Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) of the late Sen. Johnson, for which the Party strongly warned Sen. Kogar that the leadership of the MDR is an inheritance of Koung, who was seconded as running mate to Pres. Boakai during the 2023 presidential election.
On Monday, October 13, 2025, VP Koung spoke about the growing concerns of political disunity in Nimba County, saying internal disagreements among lawmakers are nothing unusual in politics.
“In politics, there will always be disagreements,” VP Koung stated.
He told Radio Voice of Gumpa (VOG) in Ganta City that there was no fallout with Sen. Kogar, and that the alleged tension is being blown out of proportion.
Meanwhile, Sen. Kogar delivered a fiery address in Nimba County District #7 a fortnight ago, where he laid bare his frustrations over “political sidelining, and a lack of respect from VP Koung, and others in national leadership.”
Kogar maintained that he will not do scary things to protect a job.
On the subject of Koung’s rise and perceived dominance in Nimba politics, Kogar did not also mince his words; he explained that the Vice President is not the first of Nimba; instead, the second of the country.
He claimed that no other VP has been reduced to a county figure, which he described as wrong, saying: “No one can be the referee, then want to be a football player.”
While acknowledging their cultural ties, Kogar made it clear that tradition will not silence him.
“Traditionally, Jeremiah Koung is my son, and I respect him. But as a leader, I must speak the truth. If he wants a face-off, I am ready,” said Kogar.
Kogar did not shy away from challenging the culture of political appeasement among officials.
He added: “Some people stay silent because they want to keep power and play sycophancy. But as a senator, I can choose to work with the President or not, because the President needs me.”
However, in a pointed yet composed tone, VP Koung compared the dynamic between Kogar and the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson.
“If you compare Sen. Kogar and Senator Johnson (late), you’ll see they’re brothers, their DNA matches,” Koung said. But mine doesn’t match theirs, and that’s why I’m allowing Kogar to take the lead in the family, he added.