—Declares Vice Standard Bearer Post Vacant
IPNEWS: The National Patriotic Party (NPP), is facing severe internal disenchantment and factional backlash following leadership moves to declare the Standard Bearer position open ahead of its December 2026 national convention
The National Patriotic Party National Chairman George Mulbah barely 72 hrs following his appoint by President Boakai has announced that all positions within the party, including the position of Standard bearer currently occupied by former Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor, are open for contest this December.
According to the NPP chairman George Mulbah, the party will conduct local conventions this November, thereby requesting delegates and local officials to receive qualifications clearance before participating in the party’s subsequent electoral processes.
Mulbah emphasized that every position, from political leader to standard bearer, is open for contest under the party’s arrangements as such the Former Liberian Vice President Madam Jewel Howard Taylor can’t be made Standard Bearer again.
Accordingly, he clarified that under the party’s amended constitution, a political leader is prohibited from contesting for the position of standard bearer.
Notting that the party’s constitution limits the standard bearer to two terms, stressing that Madam Taylor was elected to the position in 2011 and has already contested twice.
Mulbah said any possible exception arising from the ongoing court proceedings involving the current standard bearer would require a separate discussion, but maintained that the party’s constitution clearly provides for a two-term limit.
But Party critics and stalwarts have accused the leadership of exploiting Howard-Taylor’s ongoing prosecution on drug trafficking and money laundering charges to quietly oust her from party control.
The Disenchantment deepened in this week after Mulbah was appointed back into government by President Joseph Boakai. Prior to this, Howard-Taylor had publicly distanced herself from Mulbah after he endorsed the prosecution of former Weah-era officials.
This internal pressure group has demanded the immediate postponement of the December 2026 convention. Members argue that proceeding while Howard-Taylor is embattled shows a lack of sensitivity and reinforces public perceptions that her indictment is politically linked to internal party maneuvers.
A group of disgruntled partisans announced plans to seek legal redress from Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC). They contend that the planned convention lacks majority institutional endorsement and violates both the NPP constitution and national electoral laws.
The current dispute echoes a long-running power struggle within the NPP. Similar parallel conventions and legal battles erupted in late 2022 and early 2023 when former Chairman James Biney previously attempted to declare Howard-Taylor’s seat vacant over term-limit interpretations
Former Liberian Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor is awaiting trial at Criminal Court “C” in Monrovia following an October 2026 grand jury indictment. The case is scheduled on the court’s November 2026 term docket and stems from an investigation into a record $317 million cocaine seizure.
Security authorities detained Howard-Taylor at Roberts International Airport on August 19, 2026, before she could board a flight out of the country.
Following initial detention at Monrovia Central Prison, the court granted her release on medical and compassionate grounds due to health complication remains under strict house arrest at her Congo Town residence after a formal bail motion was denied.
A Montserrado County grand jury formally indicted Howard-Taylor alongside 18 other defendants on October 7, 2026. The case entered the November 2026 court term docket at Criminal Court “C”.
Charges and Allegations
Prosecutors charged Howard-Taylor under Liberia’s Controlled Drug and Substance Act and Penal Law with unlicensed importation, exportation, distribution, and transportation of controlled substances, as well as illicit trafficking, criminal conspiracy, solicitation, and facilitation.
Court filings also include charges of money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law, alongside allegations of abuse of office.
The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Projecting Project (OCCRP) reports that the prosecution is tied to a July 21, 2026 raid in Duazon, where authorities seized nearly four metric tons of cocaine valued at $317 million.
The indictment names several other Liberian officials and foreign nationals, including two Croatian nationals and one Ukrainian national charged in absentia as alleged organizers of the network.
Defense Response and Legal Context
Howard-Taylor, who served as vice president from 2018 to 2024 and is a prominent member of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), has denied all allegations.
Liberia’s Ministry of Justice stated that the charges remain allegations and that all defendants maintain the legal presumption of innocence and right to due process pending trial.
Meanwhile, the credentials of Atty. George Sylvester Mulbah, National Chairman of the opposition National Patriotic Party (NPP), have become the center of public debate following his nomination by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai as Commissioner of Liberia’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on November 11, 2026.
The nomination, which is subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate, has sparked discussions regarding technical qualifications, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, and cross-party political appointments.
Key Criticisms and Technical Questions
Critics, political commentators, and aviation students have questioned whether Mulbah—a lawyer and former lawmaker—possesses the specialized technical background required to lead independent aircraft crash investigations.
Maxwell Smith Toby, a former Deputy Press Secretary to ex-President George Weah, publicly challenged the nomination ahead of Senate confirmation hearings. Toby urged the Executive Mansion and the Senate to publish Mulbah’s curriculum vitae and verify his qualifications against ICAO Annex 13 standards.
In a widely circulated statement, Toby outlined five benchmarks he argues Mulbah must meet before being confirmed:
Whether he is a licensed pilot, aircraft maintenance engineer, air traffic controller, or aeronautical engineer.
Whether he holds certifications in basic, human factors, or advanced aircraft accident investigation courses.
Whether he has ever participated in or led an actual aircraft accident investigation.
Whether he is proficient in ICAO Doc 9756 and Circular 298, including the ability to produce Preliminary Reports within 30 days and Final Reports within 12 months.
Whether he can impartially investigate incidents involving government aircraft without political influence, referencing the May 29, 2025 incident involving the presidential jet at Roberts International Airport.
Mulbah’s Background and Supporters’ Defense
Supporters of the appointment point to Mulbah’s prior administrative leadership within Liberia’s aviation sector and broader public service record as sufficient qualification for the commissioner role.
In April 2023, following Senate confirmation under the Weah administration, Mulbah took office as Deputy Director General for Administration at the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA).
He subsequently served as Acting Director General of the LCAA, where he represented Liberia at regional aviation forums and worked on Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) quality systems for the Roberts Flight Information Region.
Before his aviation posts, Mulbah served two terms as a Representative for Bong County, as well as County Superintendent and Assistant Minister of Labor. Defenders argue his legal and administrative background equips him to manage the agency’s governance and policy frameworks.
Political Context
Beyond technical credentials, the appointment has drawn attention for its political timing:
Supporters of President Boakai have praised the move as a gesture of national unity and inclusive governance, bringing the head of a major opposition party into the administration despite Mulbah’s past criticism of the government’s constitutional practices. Some political observers noted that the appointment comes while the NPP’s political leader, former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, is facing legal proceedings in an ongoing narcotics investigation—a case in which Mulbah had previously called for judicial fairness while praising the government’s anti-drug efforts.
