According to Rule 5 of the ECOWAS Parliament, no member can be replaced while serving as an active member of parliament, except due to death, resignation, or incapacity./ L-R: Reps Taa Wongbe, Moima Briggs-Mensah and Samuel Enders at the Ecowas Parliament.
Three members of the House of Representatives who are part of Liberia’s parliamentary delegation at the ECOWAS Parliament are currently attending the regional parliamentary bloc sitting in Abuja, Nigeria. The delegation includes Reps. Samuel Enders (District #6, Montserrado County), Moima Briggs-Mensah (District #6, Bong County), and Taa Wongbe (District #9, Nimba County).
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
These lawmakers were appointed by the embattled Speaker Fonati Koffa as members of the Liberian delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament in 2024. However, following his controversial removal by the Majority Bloc—led by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah (District #1, Lofa County) and Rep. Richard Nagbe Koon (District #11, Montserrado County)—the majority bloc, emboldened by their numbers, began to undo all of the committees and key appointments made by Speaker Koffa.
In addition, several colleagues were suspended, their salaries withheld, and Rep. Richard Koon was voted in as Speaker. Despite the Supreme Court ruling that these actions were ultra vires, the Majority Bloc—backed by the Liberian Senate and the executive branch—continues to run the affairs of the House of Representatives.
Recently, the Majority Bloc voted to replace several lawmakers, though they chose to retain Rep. Moima Briggs-Mensah. However, it appears that the Majority Bloc Speaker Koon’s communication to the ECOWAS Parliament Speaker is being ignored, as the Koffa-appointed lawmakers are still participating in the parliament’s session. According to Rule 5 of the ECOWAS Parliament, no member can be replaced while serving as an active member of parliament, except due to death, resignation, or incapacity.
Meanwhile, lawmakers elected under Majority Bloc Speaker Koon’s leadership have yet to appear at the session, further fueling speculation over the ongoing power struggle in Liberia’s House of Representatives.
The situation highlights the deepening division between the Majority Bloc and the faction loyal to the embattled Speaker Fonati Koffa, as the leadership crisis in the legislature continues.
