PHOTO: Margibi Lawmakers
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- In contrast to the expectation of the people of Margibi County that members of the current Margibi Legislative Caucus are united and working in the best interest of their employers (the citizens), the Co-Chair of the Caucus, Representative Ellen Attoh Wreh has spoken of a high degree of disunity amongst them.
Rep. Wreh made the disclosure during a phone interview on a popular radio show talk show, “Day Break Margibi” on Radio Margibi in Kakata today, Wednesday August 3, 2022.
During the show, she spoke on a variety of issues concerning her district, the county, the National Legislature as well as some of the gains she said she has made since her election in 2017.
In her response to an inquiry about the current relationship amongst members of the caucus, the lone female member of the Margibi Legislative Caucus stated that the unity that once existed among them no longer exist.
She further lamented that there are some members of the caucus who got dangling issues that are not clear or have something under their sleeves, but felt short of outlining those dangling issues.
“Hon Ellen Attoh Wreh can clearly say it is not existing like before with all of the caucus members, yes I can proudly say that. There are some dangling issues with some of the caucus members who are not clear, who for some reasons I think they got something under their sleeves so we are just trying to see how we can, how I can work with them in the interest of Margibi County,” the Co-chair of the Legislative Caucus added.
The Margibi County District #3 Lawmaker noted that as it stands, anything that she wants to know about the caucus and the county, she reduces it into writing.
About a year ago, the chat room of the caucus used to be very active but of late, she said it has been dormant.
Rep. Wreh continued: “I should say a year or a year plus ago, we use to interact and talk on a regular basis. Our group chat was active (the caucus) but of late, it is almost like dormant for lack of better words, so I decided personally if I want to know something about the caucus, about the county as the co-chair, I will write, I will reduce it into writing. Whatever that I want to know, whatever that I think the people of Margibi deserve to know, it will be on pen and paper so that everybody can know what Hon Ellen Attoh Wreh wants to know concerning the county, concerning the caucus.”
It can be recalled that Margibi County had a fragmented leadership during the 53rd National Legislature and it was clear at the time that the Caucus or County’s Leadership was widely divided as its members also were seen publicly lashing at each other.
At one point in time, the former district #2 Representative Ballah G. Zayzay stated that of the eight members (seven lawmakers and the superintendent) who coordinate the county authority, their team made of current Senators James Emmanuel Nuquay and Jim W. Tornola, Former Superintendent John Z. Buway, and Former Representative Stephen S. Kafi and him (Ballah G. Zayzay) were the ones who decided how the leadership of the county went.
He made the disclosure when there was visible sign of division in the 53rd Legislature.
At different occasions, Representatives Nuquay and Fofana were at each other’s throats verbally and in war of words publicly.
After the 2018 elections, it was clearly seen that members of 54th Legislature in the Margibi County Legislative Caucus and the County’s administration were observed to be operating in one accord. Similar situation was seen following the 2020 senatorial election, when Senator Nuquay and some other members were also seen publicly attending programs and making supportive statements to one another.
Margibi District #5 Representative Clarence G. Gahr and Senator Nuquay, who had a very bitter relationship, are now on path in the county.
Currently, there are unconfirmed that Senator Nuquay is working very hard behind the scene to support Mr. Josepph Yarkpawolo commonly known as Yapuyah and Madam Dorothy Barcolleh against Representatives Ivar K. Jones and Ellen Attoh Wreh of Districts numbers two and three respectively.
However, of recent there seems to be no good relationship amongst the members of the Margibi County Legislative Caucus again, as the County District #3 Lawmaker Ellen Attoh Wreh says that the caucus is in disunity at the moment.
Many political pundits in Margibi County believe that Senator Nuquay’s decision to support other aspirants against his two colleagues is because they did not support him during the 2020 Special Senatorial election that made him senator.
It can also be recalled that Rep. Jones contested in the 2020 midterm senatorial election thus taking second place as Rep. Wreh did not openly declare her support to Nuquay’s senatorial bid.