From Political Enemies to Political Lovers: New Political Alliances Form Ahead of Much-Talked-About 2029 Elections
By: Anthony G. Dahn Jr.
The political landscape in Liberia is rapidly changing ahead of what appears to be a tense political climate in 2029, as top political rivals become friends and former allies turn into political opponents.
Pundits’ analyses from years ago are becoming reality, as political enemies are increasingly becoming political lovers, seeking to form what are expected to be formidable forces in the next legislative and presidential elections.
In Margibi County, this political climate is already taking shape as District #2 Representative Ivar Jones and Margibi County Senator Emmanuel Nuquah establish a surprising coalition and visible friendship following their tense political battle during the 2020 senatorial elections in Margibi County.
Jones, who was defeated by Nuquah and heavily supported by the Coalition for Democratic Change, has allegedly broken ties with Margibi County Senator Nathaniel McGill, whom reports indicate had supported the Margibi representative.
Local accounts also suggest that the fractured alliance between McGill and Jones erupted after McGill allegedly continued efforts to claim development projects intended for the county as his own, while portraying himself publicly as the county’s savior — an action some believe reflects a biased political agenda within the caucus.
An alignment that once seemed entirely impossible following the 2020 senatorial elections in Margibi has now swiftly become a glaring political reality, with growing indications that Ivar Jones may emerge as a strong political force against Nathaniel McGill in the 2032 senatorial race in Margibi County.
Furthermore, Bong County is not being spared from similar political shifts, as mounting divisions continue to emerge.
Bong County District #3 Representative Josiah Marvin Cole, widely known as a strong political rival to Senator Prince Moye, is reportedly positioning himself within a growing political coalition with the Bong County Senator following closed-door negotiations involving Musa Bility, political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change, and the Senate Ways, Means and Finance Committee Chair.
Months ago, Cole was publicly seen politically criticizing Moye, but he is now considered a close ally of the Unity Party strongman in Bong County. This coalition is viewed by many as a major step toward reconciliation, with Musa Bility reportedly playing a central role in the negotiations.
Former District #5 Representative Edward Karfia, who was defeated by Johnny Kpehe in the just-ended senatorial elections, also appears to harbor strong ambitions of unseating Prince Moye from the Senate in 2029. However, his chances of victory may grow slimmer as the elections draw closer.
These growing alliances and coalitions among political actors who were once enemies, including Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh, Mike Jabateh, and others, vividly demonstrate that the 2029 legislative and presidential elections could become even more intense than the heated 2023 elections that removed the Coalition for Democratic Change from the presidency.
Political pundits believe these emerging coalitions could also support a possible CDC return to power, as public expectations of the Unity Party administration appear increasingly low and, in the eyes of some voters, unfulfilled.
