Snowe Harshly Replies Gov’t …Resigns From ECOWAS Post

Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, Jr., has harshly responded to the accusation’s government made against him for his remark, which the government described as being ‘subversive.’

Snowe has recently promised to use his connection in ECOWAS to make President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s led government to fail, “even if it means discouraging foreign direct investment to the country, thus making the country ungovernable and unstable until I (Snowe) become president of Liberia.”

Snowe said he categorically rejected and condemned the government’s allegations, terming it as “entirely baseless, malicious, and politically motivated.”

In the aftermath of the claims and counter-claims, Snowe said, he has in view of this “regrettable development, taken the difficult decision to terminate his participation in the ECOWAS Parliament mission and return home.”

To that effect, he has meanwhile, formally communicated the matter to the Senate, registering his concerns over the implications of such “unfounded accusations against my person, and therefore, I am calling for a full-scale immediate, independent, and comprehensive investigation into this matter.”

“It is with deep concern and profound disappointment that I respond to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Information, which falsely attributes to me inflammatory and irresponsible remarks intended to undermine and destabilize the government.

“This statement was issued while I am currently on official assignment in the Kingdom of Sweden as part of a mission of the ECOWAS Parliament. The timing and content of this accusation are not only inappropriate, but also reflective of a disturbing and deliberate attempt to damage my reputation and cast aspersions on my integrity as a statesman, representative of the Liberian people and a responsible member of the opposition.

“Let me state, unequivocally and for the record: I categorically reject and condemn these allegations as entirely baseless, malicious, and politically motivated. I wish to state, for the record, that at no point have I made any statement that could be interpreted as inciting panic, promoting instability, or threatening the democratic order of our country, neither have I leverage my networks in ECOWAS internal institutions or other international organizations to orchestrate destabilization of the government.

The irresponsible and reckless statement issued by the government amounts to nothing less than an implicit accusation of treason, one of the gravest charges under our Constitution that I do not take lightly. Such an accusation is not only wholly unfounded and defamatory, but also constitutes a serious affront to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and the constitutional safeguards that protect all citizens of our Republic.

This act by the government further sets a dangerous and unacceptable precedent, one that threatens the very fabric of our democracy and the fundamental rights of every Liberian, particularly those who exercise their legitimate right to speak truth to power. It is increasingly evident that this development forms part of a calculated and malicious smear campaign, designed to discredit, intimidate, and silence me and other critical voices of the opposition in the national discourse.

In view of this regrettable development, I have taken the difficult decision to terminate my participation in the ECOWAS Parliament mission and return home. I have formally communicated this matter to the Senate, registering my grave concerns over the implications of such unfounded accusations against my person and calling for a full-scale immediate, independent, and comprehensive investigation into this matter.

I further call upon ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and all of the country’s bilateral and multilateral partners to closely monitor this development and what appears to be an emerging pattern of political intimidation and persecution.

I remain resolute in my commitment to the values of democracy, good governance, accountability, and the inalienable right of every Liberian to express themselves freely and without fear of retribution, the statement concluded.