MONROVIA, LIBERIA – In an unprecedented move, the Majority Bloc of the House of Representatives, led by Representative Samuel G. Kogar, voted unanimously on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, to suspend three lawmakers, including Bong County District #3 Representative J. Marvin Cole, for acts deemed unbecoming of their roles as legislators.
The other two lawmakers suspended are Montserrado County Representatives Dixon Seboe of District #16 and Ellen Attoh Wreh of District #3. Seboe and Wreh were removed as Chairman and Co-Chair, respectively, of the House’s Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget Committee. The plenary also directed the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Liberia, and all commercial banks to cease any business dealings with the suspended lawmakers on behalf of the House of Representatives.
Representative Marvin Cole’s suspension stems from a series of disruptive actions during legislative sessions. On October 17, 2024, he allegedly locked the doors of the main chamber, preventing the body from conducting its legislative business. Later that day, Cole reportedly led a group of individuals into the Joint Chamber, causing a civil disturbance. This group is alleged to have used pepper spray during a Majority Bloc session, further escalating tensions.
The Majority Bloc requested Cole to appear and respond to the allegations but stated that he failed to comply with their communications. Consequently, the plenary voted to suspend him for 30 session days, stripping him of all legislative immunities and benefits.
Representatives Dixon Seboe and Ellen Attoh Wreh faced suspension for their roles as leaders of the Ways, Means, Finance, and Budget Committee. The Majority Bloc accused the two lawmakers of actions incompatible with their positions, although specific details of their alleged infractions were not disclosed during the session.
Two more Montserrado County lawmakers, Representative Edward P. Flomo of District #13 and Representative Abu Kamara of District #15, were also suspended for 30 working days without legislative benefits. The plenary did not provide detailed explanations for their suspensions but emphasized the lawmakers’ failure to adhere to legislative norms and procedures.
This wave of suspensions highlights growing divisions within the House of Representatives, particularly between the Majority Bloc and Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s faction. Despite the Majority Bloc’s decisive actions, lawmakers from Bong County abstained from the vote to suspend their colleague Marvin Cole, signaling potential dissent within the bloc itself.
The suspension of five lawmakers simultaneously raises concerns about the functionality of Liberia’s legislative body as it steers pressing national issues. For now, the Majority Bloc appears resolute in enforcing discipline and preserving order within the House.
