ECOWAS returns to Monrovia for fresh mediation as Koffa cuts US trip short

MONROVIA – ECOWAS is making another attempt to break the deadlock in Liberia’s legislative crisis. A high-level delegation is set to arrive in Monrovia on Sunday, hoping to end the impasse that has crippled the House of Representatives. In a sign of the urgency, embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa is cutting short his US trip to meet with the delegation at their request, The Liberian Investigator has learned.

This latest intervention follows the failure of an earlier ECOWAS mission, led by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, the Right Honourable Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, to bridge the divide between warring factions in the Liberian Legislature. That delegation, which spent nearly a week in Monrovia from November 11 to 16, 2024, was unable to bring pro-Koffa and anti-Koffa forces to consensus.

The crisis stems from a grou of lawmakers mostly from the ruling Unity Party, demanding Koffa’s resignation, vowing never to recognize his authority. Meanwhile, Koffa has stood his ground, declaring that he will not bow to pressure, insisting that all legislative actions must be guided by constitutional principles.

The failed mediation mission last November saw ECOWAS engaging key stakeholders, including President Joseph N. Boakai, Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, and Senate President Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence. Additionally, civil society groups were consulted to assess the broader impact of the legislative stalemate. Despite several rounds of high-stakes negotiations, both factions refused to shift from their entrenched positions, forcing the delegation to depart without a resolution.

“The parliamentary delegation notes that the parties were not able to arrive at a favorable conclusion within the timeframe of the mission. However, we remain fully engaged and committed to ensuring that the desired outcome is achieved,” the ECOWAS team stated in its closing communiqué.

High-Stakes Maneuvering

Ghanaian Speaker Alban Bagbin, who was recently in Liberia for what was supposed to be a routine legislative retreat, quickly pivoted to crisis diplomacy upon realizing the severity of the situation. Bagbin and his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Matthew Sahr Nyumah, had been invited to a three-day retreat organized by the majority bloc under the theme: “Unity, Integrity, and Modernization.” But sources told The Liberian Investigator that Speaker Bagbin opted to meet with President Boakai first instead of attending the retreat, wary of legitimizing Richard Koon’s contested Speakership.

A legislative source disclosed: “The Speaker of the Ghanaian Parliament did not have a full grasp of the crisis until he arrived. After being briefed, he refused to attend the retreat and instead initiated a series of meetings with the President, both legislative blocs, and even Speaker Koffa via phone.”

Bagbin also met with former Presidents George Weah and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a bid to understand the political undercurrents fueling the impasse. His intervention, however, did not yield an immediate resolution, as both factions remained entrenched.

Sirleaf, Judiciary Weigh In

Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has expressed deep concern over the Supreme Court’s handling of the legislative impasse. Speaking at the NAYMOTE-Liberia Second Summit on Democracy and Political Accountability over a fortnight ago, Sirleaf warned that unclear judicial rulings could further destabilize governance.

“Now is not the time for the Supreme Court to deliver an ambiguous ruling that may take us away from peacefully resolving the disruption unfolding in another important branch of government,” Sirleaf asserted, urging the Court to provide a definitive decision.

The Supreme Court, in its December 6, 2024 ruling, acknowledged its authority over constitutional disputes but stopped short of providing a direct resolution, instead deferring the matter to the Legislature itself. The ruling stated: “Any sittings or actions by members of the Legislature not in conformity with the intent of Articles 33 and 49 of the Constitution are ultra vires.” This declaration left both factions claiming victory while fueling further division.

Justice Yamie Gbeisay, speaking at the February Term of Court opening in Nimba County, took a firmer stance, declaring the Majority Bloc’s actions as beyond their legal authority. His remarks heightened political tensions, as the Supreme Court’s refusal to attend President Boakai’s State of the Nation Address was interpreted as a signal that the Legislature lacks a legally recognized Speaker.

The Expectation

With ECOWAS now returning for a fresh round of mediation, expectations are high that the regional body will leverage its diplomatic weight to break the deadlock.

The ECOWAS Parliament recently rejected Majority Bloc Speaker Richard Koon’s request to recall and replace three members of the country’s delegation to the regional parliament. In a letter dated March 7, 2025, addressed to Chief Clerk Mildred N. Sayon, ECOWAS Acting Secretary-General K. Bertin Some cited legal provisions that bar premature removal of serving representatives.

“I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 25, 2025, regarding the recall of three members designated by the House of Representatives of Liberia to serve in the ECOWAS Parliament,” Some wrote. “Following a thorough review of your request, I wish to inform you that in accordance with Article 18.1.2 of the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of ECOWAS Parliament, the mandate of Community Parliamentarians is set for a fixed term of four years. Once designated and sworn in, members cannot be removed or replaced before the expiration of their term, except in specific circumstances.”

According to the letter, ECOWAS Parliamentarians can only be recalled in cases of non-re-election at the national level, death, voluntary resignation, certified incapacity, incompatibility with other duties, or dismissal for misconduct. The three Liberian delegates in question—Samuel R. Enders, Sr., Moima Briggs-Mensah, and Taa Z. Wongbe—do not meet any of these criteria.

“Therefore, their replacement cannot be affected,” Some concluded.