MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The growing political divide within Liberia’s House of Representatives has taken a new turn as three lawmakers continue to represent the country at the ECOWAS Parliament despite efforts by the Majority Bloc to remove them. Representatives Samuel Enders, Moima Briggs-Mensah, and Taa Wongbe, appointed by former Speaker Fonati Koffa, remain active participants in the regional legislative session in Abuja, Nigeria. Their continued presence at the ECOWAS Parliament has ignited further tensions in a political climate already fraught with instability.
The Majority Bloc, led by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah and Representative Richard Nagbe Koon, has been pushing to undo the decisions made by Koffa, following his controversial removal from the Speaker’s position. With support from the Liberian Senate and the executive branch, the Majority Bloc has taken steps to reverse Koffa’s appointments, suspend several of his allies, and block their salaries. The faction’s efforts culminated in Koon’s election as the new Speaker of the House, a move that many argue was legally questionable.
Despite the Majority Bloc’s moves, the Supreme Court of Liberia ruled that their actions were “ultra vires” – beyond their legal authority. This landmark decision, however, has had little impact on the Majority Bloc’s hold over the House. The bloc’s influence appears to extend even to Liberia’s representation at the ECOWAS Parliament, where they have sought to replace the Koffa-appointed lawmakers.
However, the Majority Bloc’s official request to remove Enders, Briggs-Mensah, and Wongbe from the ECOWAS Parliament has so far gone unheeded. This has allowed the three lawmakers to continue their duties, despite the Majority Bloc’s insistence that they no longer represent Liberia’s interests abroad.
The legal framework of the ECOWAS Parliament adds another layer to the dispute. According to Rule 5 of the regional body’s guidelines, members cannot be replaced while actively serving unless they die, resign, or are incapacitated. This provision has kept the Koffa-appointed delegation in place, preventing the Majority Bloc from ousting them.
The standoff has further highlighted the deepening political crisis in Liberia’s legislature, as the Majority Bloc struggles to consolidate power while facing resistance from the Koffa-appointed lawmakers. Even as the Majority Bloc attempts to establish its control domestically, it has failed to send its own representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament, casting doubt on its ability to secure Liberia’s regional interests.
