The Hot Pepper has been reliably informed by a credible source that suspended Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel F. McGill, has openly made a disclosure to youth and student groups of Gbarpolu County that he will be contesting for the county Senate seat in the pending 2023 legislative and presidential elections.
Minister McGill, National Port Authority Managing Director, Bill Twehway, and Solicitor General of Liberia are sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department for several allegations, including corruption and misuse of power. Barely a day after the US Treasury Department sanctioned the three top government officials, President George M. Weah, with immediate effect, suspended the three officials for time indefinite pending investigation. President Weah has recalled all state securities assigned with the sanctioned officials, including government assigned vehicles.
The US Treasury Department report said the sanction was not on the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led government but warned government officials and other citizens to stop doing business with those sanctioned officials. Minister McGill has slowed down on public appearances and from making public statement as was usually done by him since the sanction was placed on him.
On Sunday, August 28, 2022, sources informed the Hot Pepper that suspended Minister McGill met with a cross-section of citizens from Gbarpolu, including youth and student groups, at his Roberts International Airport (RIA) road’s residence in Monrovia. At the meeting, according to the sources, he told the groups that he will be contesting for the county’s Senate seat in the pending general elections and therefore needs their support. He promised to pave the road from Bopolu to Belle Fassama during the coming dry season period. He presented a cash amount of US$2,500 as transportation for the youth groups. Following the meeting with the youth groups, he also met with the student community.
Currently, there are two Liberian senators on the US Treasury Department sanction list in the 54th Legislature. The sanction restricts their international travelling movement but still receiving salary and other benefits from the Liberian government. Senators Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County and Prince Johnson of Nimba County are on sanction list for several reasons including corruption.
Some of Minister McGill’s loyalists have cautioned him to strive to clear his name from the sanction list instead of thinking about contesting for the Senate seat. For McGill to declare his intent barely one month after the issuance of the sanction may appear like he is seeking protection at the Legislature. “Is the Legislature becoming a hiding place?” a political pundit wondered.