The National Patriotic Party (NPP) leadership has unveiled a plan to elect a "political leader" at its December convention, a move critics say aims to quietly strip former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor of control of the party. NPP National Chairman Atty. George Sylvester Mulbah Sr. circulated a message to partisans stating that there would be no Standard Bearer election at the convention. Instead, delegates will elect a "political leader" who will have no right to contest the presidency.
Mulbah cited the 2016 Bomi amendment to the party's constitution, which he claims allows for the creation of the "political leader" post. This post would cease to exist once the party elects a Standard Bearer for the 2029 elections. Mulbah also declared that "every official has lost tenure" and that partisans would elect new officers at the December convention. Critics interpret this as including Howard-Taylor, who has held the Standard Bearer post.
The decision on delegate numbers has also been addressed by Mulbah. He stated that the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) voted to send three delegates from each district, resulting in approximately 219 voting delegates. This move comes in response to complaints from partisans about the size of the delegation to the convention.
However, critics within the party have rejected the plan, claiming that there is no "political leader" position in the NPP's constitution or by-laws. A senior partisan opposed to the move accused former Secretary General Andrew Peters of keeping the Bomi amendment secret. Peters has been a longtime figure in the party's factional battles, previously aligned with former Chairman James Biney in a protracted fight against Howard-Taylor for control of the NPP.
The announcement deepens a crisis within the party, with some insiders suggesting that the fight over the December convention is about more than the calendar. There are allegations that some party members want to use this impasse to pave the way for Vice President Jeremiah Koung to take control. A group called the Concerned Partisans of the National Patriotic Party (CP-NPP) had previously called for the convention to be postponed, citing sensitivity to Howard-Taylor's arrest and indictment.
Howard-Taylor, who served as Vice President from 2018 to 2024, faces charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and other offenses. Her case centers on alleged meetings and financial dealings with members of a transnational trafficking organization. Prosecutors do not allege that she physically handled cocaine, and she denies all allegations. Her family and legal team have proclaimed her innocence, and the defense will move directly to trial.
The latest maneuvering revives one of the longest-running feuds in Liberian party politics. Howard-Taylor and Biney have fought for years over control of the party founded by her ex-husband, former President Charles Taylor. Mulbah himself has openly clashed with Howard-Taylor, branding her "rebellious" in April 2025 after she endorsed the CDC-backed candidate in the Nimba County senatorial by-election.
Key points
- NPP Chairman Atty. George Sylvester Mulbah Sr. plans to install a 'political leader' at the December convention.
- The move is seen as an attempt to strip Jewel Howard-Taylor of control amid her drug trafficking and money laundering prosecution.
- Critics claim that the 'political leader' position does not exist in the party's constitution or by-laws.
