Paye Accuses VP Koung, Fallah of Plot to Undermine Unity Party; VP Declines Public Feud
Monrovia/Nimba County – Former Unity Party (UP) Secretary General and former Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye has accused Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and Deputy House Speaker Thomas Fallah of pursuing a political agenda aimed at weakening and eventually taking control of the ruling Unity Party.
Speaking on a local radio platform, Paye alleged that Vice President Koung is using Fallah and a political movement known as NIMBO as part of a broader strategy to establish an independent political structure outside the Unity Party framework.
According to Paye, the emergence of NIMBO should not be viewed as a routine political initiative but rather as an attempt to build a separate political force under the guise of collaboration.
He questioned the motives of individuals who publicly support President Joseph Nyuma Boakai while, at the same time, allegedly distancing themselves from the party structure that brought the administration to power.
Paye further argued that some political figures currently aligning themselves with the government, including Deputy Speaker Fallah, were once associated with political systems and individuals they now openly criticize.
The former UP official also warned of what he described as deliberate efforts to sideline influential figures within the ruling party, cautioning that such actions could weaken the Unity Party from within and create opportunities for others to dominate its structure.
He accused both Koung and Fallah of placing personal political ambitions above national service, claiming that they view positions in government as avenues for personal advancement rather than opportunities to serve the Liberian people.
In a separate matter, Paye strongly denied allegations that he received more than US$145,000 from National Port Authority Managing Director Sekou Dukuly in connection with a mining license that was allegedly never issued.
Appearing on Spoon Talk, Paye described the claims as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation. He maintained that no company approached him or paid him money for a mining concession or license during his tenure as Minister of Mines and Energy.
Paye emphasized that the Ministry of Mines and Energy follows established legal and administrative procedures for reviewing and approving applications, making it impossible for any individual to unilaterally grant mining licenses.
Describing the allegations as an attack on his character, he said that if credible evidence existed against him, the relevant authorities would have already initiated an investigation.
He further accused unnamed individuals of attempting to tarnish his reputation and use him as a scapegoat to divert public attention from issues affecting the mining sector. Paye vowed to resist what he termed coordinated efforts to damage his public image.
Meanwhile, Vice President Jeremiah Koung says he remains focused on serving the Liberian people and has no intention of engaging in public exchanges with critics on radio platforms.
Speaking during an honoring ceremony in Nimba County on Wednesday, Koung stressed the importance of unity, maturity, and restraint in leadership.
The Vice President noted that public officials must carefully choose their words, adding that people often speak out of emotion but that statements made in the heat of the moment can have lasting consequences.
Koung said he has deliberately chosen silence over confrontation, emphasizing that criticism is an inevitable part of public service and leadership.
Although his comments came amid recent criticism from Paye, the Vice President did not directly address the specific allegations leveled against him by the former Unity Party official.
The exchange highlights growing political tensions within circles associated with the ruling establishment as discussions continue over the future direction and cohesion of the Unity Party.
