MONROVIA – The majority bloc has postponed the election for representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament to next Tuesday, allowing more time for intense lobbying among lawmakers.
Liberia’s previous ECOWAS Parliament representatives included Moima Briggs Mensah (Bong County District 6), Taa Wongbe (Nimba County District 9), and Rev. Samuel Enders (Montserrado County District 6). However, sources within the Legislature suggest a significant shift is underway.
According to insider reports, Moima Briggs Mensah is expected to retain her seat, while Augustine Chiewolo of Lofa County District 5 and Samson Q. Wiah of Sinoe County District 2 are likely to replace Wongbe and Enders.
Intense Lobbying Ahead of Tuesday’s Election
The Liberian Investigagtor gathered that aspirants are ramping up efforts to garner support from colleagues. The contest is expected to be highly competitive, as Liberia’s representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament play a critical role in shaping regional policies on economic, political, and security issues.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah who is also a member of the majority bloc stressed the need to elect capable representatives who can effectively advocate for Liberia’s interests at the regional level.
“We want to ensure that those we send to the ECOWAS Parliament have the full backing of their colleagues and can represent Liberia’s interests effectively. This extension allows more engagement among lawmakers,” Fallah stated.
ECOWAS Parliament May Reject Liberia’s Recall of Lawmakers
The ongoing election process is marred by controversy over Liberia’s recall of its current ECOWAS representatives. Reports suggest that the ECOWAS Parliament may reject Liberia’s decision to withdraw its members, citing procedural concerns.
During the 8th-day sitting under Majority Bloc Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, the plenary ruled that Representatives Moima Briggs Mensah, Taa Wongbe, and Samuel Enders be withdrawn from the ECOWAS Parliament. The decision followed a formal request from Representatives Johnson S.N. Williams and James Kolleh, who argued that the appointments were unilaterally made by the embattled Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa without plenary’s approval. They also claimed the selections failed to reflect appropriate political representation and violated ECOWAS protocols.
However, Senator Edwin Snowe, Liberia’s most senior lawmaker at the ECOWAS Parliament, strongly opposed the recall attempt, asserting that the regional legislative body operates independently and is not bound by Liberia’s internal legislative decisions.
Snowe urged the Majority Bloc of the House of Representatives to refrain from using internal disputes as grounds for recalling lawmakers and emphasized that such matters should be resolved within Liberia. He also appealed to President Joseph Boakai, calling on him to remain neutral and avoid involvement in what he described as an unconstitutional recall.
“The ECOWAS Parliament is governed by its own rules, and not even the current ECOWAS Chairman, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has the authority to enforce such a recall,” Snowe stated, underscoring that Liberia’s internal legislative conflicts should not be imposed on the regional body.
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