Monrovia, Liberia – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament’s attempts to mediate the political crisis in Liberia’s House of Representatives were unsuccessful as opposing groups were unable to come to a definitive agreement.
Requested by ECOWAS Chairman and President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this mediation mission had underlined how urgent it is to end the legislative impasse that jeopardizes stability in Liberia and throughout West Africa.
Under the direction of its Parliament Speaker, Rt. Hon. Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, ECOWAS had sent letters to important Liberian parties and stakeholders, including Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah and Liberia’s beleaguered Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, urging communication to resolve the widening gap.
Speaker Ibrahima welcomed Liberia’s victories in peace and democracy, including the peaceful transfer of power in November 2023, in a letter dated November 8. However, he cautioned that the present standoff may threaten these accomplishments.
ECOWAS stated that the parties were unable to reach a consensus on a resolution within the mission’s schedule, despite the fact that the ECOWAS team was successful in bringing the warring groups to the negotiating table.
Claims against Speaker Koffa and differences on the validity of the “majority bloc’s” actions, such as moving legislative sessions to the combined chamber, are at the heart of the conflict.
The delegation voiced anxiety at the lack of agreement and restated its demand that all activities be carried out in accordance with the 1986 Constitution and the House of Representatives’ Rules of Procedure.
But according to the ECOWAS Parliament, it would continue to be involved in the issue and promote respect for the rule of law and due process. It underlined how crucial it is to have a peaceful conversation and warned against taking any steps that might compromise Liberia’s democratic principles.
The delegation’s communiqué called on Liberian parliamentarians to take into account the interests of the people who have given them the authority to enact laws and oversee administration. The delegation declared that ECOWAS opposes a political culture that is not based on the rule of law.
“The parliamentary delegation observes that despite successfully bringing both parties to the negotiating table and going through multiple rounds of in-depth discussions with stakeholders on the competing issues in an attempt to reach an amicable settlement, the parties were unable to reach a favorable conclusion within the mission’s timeframe. Speaker Ibrahima stated, “The parliamentary mediation delegation is still completely aware of the issues involved and is still working with the parties to make sure the intended result is realized.”
The “majority bloc,” headed by Samuel Kogar, the representative of Nimba’s fifth electoral district, announced minutes after the ECOWAS delegation’s communique that it had accepted five of the six recommendations. However, it rejected the return to the main chamber, citing the Supreme Court’s recognition of the Joint Chamber’s legitimacy under Article 66 of the Liberian Constitution.
The “majority bloc” stuck to their original position of calling for Speaker Koffa to be removed, claiming that their 43-member count shows they no longer trust the Grand Kru representative to guide them.
In the meanwhile, Speaker Koffa praised the six-point plan developed by the ECOWAS mediation team and pledged to support the resolution in order to bring peace and order back to the House.
According to Speaker Koffa, the House of Representatives leadership has made significant compromises in good faith to guarantee a prompt resolution to the situation. He vowed to fully adopt the six-point proposal developed by ECOWAS, calling it the best approach to break the deadlock.
“The House of Representatives Leadership, acting in good faith, made significant concessions to break the impasse as quickly as possible,” the Speaker stated. “We are dedicated to seeing it through to completion.”
However, Speaker Koffa criticized the Majority Bloc’s activities, claiming that they were against constitutional law. The Speaker is the presiding officer of the House and is chosen every six years, according to Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution, which he referenced.
He asserts that the Deputy Speaker’s presidency over the House while the Speaker is available and present is unconstitutional.
Allowing such a precedent, he cautioned, would be confusing and may result in the House having two chambers. “A Deputy Speaker is never granted concurrent authority to preside under the Constitution. Any group of MPs who happen to be more than 37 might call the Deputy Speaker on any issue and make a decision if that were permitted, he claimed.
However, given ECOWAS’s recent inability to resolve the House of Representatives’ political issue, the political impasse is probably going to remain. The two-thirds majority needed to oust Koffa from his Speakership in the House of Representatives may be difficult for the rebellious legislators to obtain. However, Koffa may encounter increasing difficulties in obtaining the backing required to carry out legislative work, which involves 37 members, potentially resulting in a government shutdown.
