LOME, Togo — A senior Liberian lawmaker has warned that attempts by West African governments to unilaterally withdraw their representatives from the ECOWAS Parliament are undermining the region’s democratic foundations.
Samuel Enders, a member of the Liberian delegation to the Sixth Parliament, told reporters in Togo that a growing “culture of withdrawal” has created widespread anxiety among regional representatives.
Under the ECOWAS Supplementary Act, Members of Parliament (MPs) are meant to serve a fixed four-year tenure. However, Mr. Enders alleged that some member states are attempting to recall sworn-in members for “political reasons” or because of their financial influence within the bloc.
‘Rule of Law, Not Money’
Speaking on the sidelines of a regional summit in Lomé, Mr. Enders revealed that he had personally been a target of such an attempt in his home country.
“It happened in Liberia, where it was said we should be removed. You cannot do that,” Mr. Enders stated. “Just because you feel you have political reasons, or because you are a bigger country and give more money, you cannot just decide to withdraw people.”
He argued that the independence of the regional body depends on its members being able to serve their terms without the threat of being recalled by their national governments. “Whoever makes that decision is making a wrong decision,” he added.
A Call for ‘Bold’ Leadership
The dispute highlights a long-standing tension within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) between the sovereignty of individual nations and the authority of the regional parliament.
Mr. Enders called for the appointment of a Speaker with the “bold, strong will” to stand up to member states and enforce the Community’s rules.
“The Community Parliament backed us in our case, and we are still here,” he said, emphasizing that the principle of fixed tenures must apply uniformly across all 15 member states, regardless of their size or wealth.
The ECOWAS Parliament, based in Abuja, Nigeria, serves as a consultative body for the region, but lawmakers like Mr. Enders are increasingly pushing for it to be granted full legislative powers to act as a more effective check on national governments.
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