Monrovia – As political tensions intensify in Grand Bassa County ahead of Liberia’s 2029 general and presidential elections, Senator Gbehzohngar M. Findley, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Revenue, has cast doubt on whether he will support Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence’s potential re-election bid.
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
Both Findley and Lawrence represent Grand Bassa County in the 55th National Legislature, and their long-simmering political rivalry appears to be resurfacing.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 21, on OK Morning Rush on OK FM 99.5, Senator Findley disclosed that Pro Tempore Lawrence has never supported his political ambitions in past elections. However, he said her past opposition alone would not automatically disqualify her from earning his backing.
Despite this, Findley noted that since his return to the Senate in 2024, Pro Tempore Lawrence has not engaged him in any discussion about her intention to retain her Senate seat in 2029.
“She has never supported me politically,” Findley said. “But that alone is not enough reason for me to say I will not support her. There may be reasons for that. What matters is how the matter is approached politically.”
‘I Will Be a Factor in 2029’
Findley also complained of what he described as political attacks against him, even though he insists he is not contesting the 2029 elections.
“Attacking Senator Findley, who is not in the race, will not help anyone,” he said. “I won with over 55,000 votes in Grand Bassa—no one from Bassa has ever achieved that. I will be a factor in 2029.”
Preconditions for Endorsement
The senator made it clear that any support for Pro Tempore Lawrence’s candidacy would depend on deliberate political engagement and dialogue.
“It depends on how the matter is approached,” Findley said. “If it is not handled politically and in the right way, there will be differences. Nobody can make me irrelevant in Grand Bassa—it’s not going to happen.”
He, however, pledged to work toward building consensus around a senatorial candidate for the county, emphasizing dialogue as the preferred path forward.
Strained Ties with Liberty Party
Findley acknowledged longstanding tensions between himself and the Liberty Party (LP), led by Pro Tempore Lawrence.
Although he has supported LP legislative candidates in Grand Bassa in the past, Findley admitted he has never backed the party’s presidential candidates. In 2017, he resigned from the Unity Party and supported the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), which he said later failed to support his own senatorial bid in 2023.
According to Findley, executives of the CDC, Unity Party, and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) reached out to him after the elections—but neither Pro Tempore Lawrence nor any LP executive has done so in over a decade.
“That silence is meant to make me irrelevant in Grand Bassa,” he alleged.
Nevertheless, Findley said dialogue remains possible.
“Nobody should say it’s impossible for me and Senator Lawrence or the Liberty Party to sit down and talk. I have supported Liberty Party candidates before when I believed they could make a difference,” he said.
Tailings Controversy
Findley also revisited the contentious issue of iron ore tailings in Grand Bassa County, insisting that proceeds should benefit local communities.
The issue escalated after Pro Tempore Lawrence requested President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to intervene, alleging irregularities. President Boakai subsequently established a committee to investigate the matter.
Findley said Lawrence made disparaging remarks about his character following his opposition to discussions surrounding the sale of the tailings.
“She is not my boss—she is my equal,” Findley said. “When you call me a criminal, I respond because it’s not true. She knew about the agreement. She lied to the public.”
He maintained that the allegations were intended to damage his reputation and said the Bassa Legislative Caucus now awaits President Boakai’s final determination on the matter.
On Supporting Magdalene Dagoseh
Findley also dismissed claims that he has already decided to support Commerce Minister Magdalene Dagoseh for the Grand Bassa senatorial seat.
“I have made no such determination,” he said, adding that he would only support Dagoseh—or any candidate—if it is established they can make a meaningful difference.
“When it comes to 2029, I will definitely take a side. I will not be on the fence,” Findley said. “Minister Dagoseh is bound by the Code of Conduct. We have not even discussed whether Senator Lawrence will run again.”
