LNBA Undermines Its Constitution?

By: Yassah J Wright

Serious concerns have emerged within the Liberia National Bar Association as former President, Cllr. Sylvester D. Rennie, who served as  Chairman for Resolution Committee resigned and publicly warned that the ongoing National Assembly risks violating the institution’s constitution.

The Assembly, currently being held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex over the weekend, is reportedly deliberate on the election of a new National Vice President, which Cllr. Abraham Sellah has  been voted as Vice President, an action Rennie  has strongly opposed on constitutional grounds.

In a sharply worded interview with In-profile Daily Newspaper,  Cllr. Rennie described the move to convene a special extraordinary session for the purpose of electing a Vice President as “a clear violation” of the Bar’s governing instrument.

“We are on the verge of violating our own Constitution, and I will not sit idly by without drawing attention to this grave matter,” he cautioned.

Cllr. Rennie warned that proceeding with the election could significantly damage the credibility of the Bar, an institution widely regarded as a leading voice on the rule of law and constitutional governance in Liberia.

“If we allow this to happen, it will bring serious embarrassment to the hard-earned integrity and reputation of the Bar,” he said.

“We cannot advocate for constitutional adherence in the Republic of Liberia while simultaneously disregarding our own governing instrument.”

At the heart of the dispute are constitutional provisions governing vacancies within the National Executive Council (NEC).

The former LNBA President pointed to the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments, which, according to him, clearly mandate that vacancies affecting key national officers including the Vice President must be filled through appointments by the Executive Council, not by election.

He further referenced Article IV, Section III.I, which outlines the tenure of County Bar Presidents, and the Seventeenth Amendment, which establishes quorum requirements for NEC proceedings, underscoring the need for strict adherence to established procedures.

According to him, the amendments adopted during the April 5–6, 2024 Convention in Congo Town reaffirm that any vacancy within the leadership structure must be addressed internally by the Executive Council for the remainder of the term.

Cllr. Rennie, who was also serving on the Bar’s Resolution Committee, described his intervention as a necessary “red flag,” urging delegates to halt what he termed as an unconstitutional process.

“This action is wrong, and we must put a stop to any process that seeks to undermine or violate our Constitution,” he stressed.

Legal observers have noted that the unfolding disagreement highlights internal tensions within the LNBA at a time when the institution’s moral authority on constitutional issues remains critical to Liberia’s democratic discourse.

However, the outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications for the institution’s credibility and its role as a guardian of the rule of law in Liberia.