By Frank P. Martin
MONROVIA: Bomi County Senator, Edwin Melvin Snowe, has vowed to vote against Cllr. Oswald Natu Tweh should President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s appointment of the former Justice Minister as Acting Defense Minister reach the Liberian Senate.
Snowe’s declaration sets up a potentially contentious confirmation battle over a key national-security position and places Tweh’s record at the Ministry of Justice at the center of legislative scrutiny.
President Boakai appointed Tweh Acting Minister of National Defense on Friday, September 11, as part of a broader reshuffle affecting several government ministries and public institutions.
But less than 24 hours after the announcement, Senator Snowe publicly rejected the appointment, arguing that Tweh’s performance as Minister of Justice and Attorney General does not inspire the confidence required to oversee the Armed Forces of Liberia.
Snowe stressed that his objection was not personal, but based on what he described as Tweh’s record in public office and his own constitutional responsibility as a senator.
“As Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. Oswald Tweh, in my considered view, performed dismally and contributed to the politicization of our justice system,” Snowe said.
The senator further accused Tweh of failing to consistently provide the independent and objective legal counsel expected from the government’s principal legal adviser.
“Rather than consistently serving as the government’s principal legal adviser and providing the president and the administration with prudent, independent, and objective legal counsel, his tenure too often reflected political considerations,” Snowe said.
For Snowe, the concerns take on greater significance, because according to him, the new assignment places Tweh at the helm of an institution responsible for national defense and the professional administration of Liberia’s military.
Snowe warned that Liberia’s Armed Forces must remain insulated from partisan politics and led by officials capable of preserving discipline, professionalism and institutional cohesion.
“The military is one of our most sensitive national institutions and must remain professional, disciplined, apolitical, and firmly committed to its constitutional responsibilities,” he said.
The senator cautioned that any attempt to introduce political considerations into the military could weaken its internal cohesion and undermine public confidence in the institution.
“Any leadership that risks introducing politics into the military could undermine its professionalism, cohesion, and institutional integrity, with potentially serious consequences for our national security,” Snowe said.
He argued that Tweh’s previous record in government should therefore receive serious legislative consideration if the appointment is formally submitted to the Senate.
“That record gives me serious concern about his suitability to serve in a position of leadership involving the Armed Forces of Liberia,” Snowe stated.
Snowe also sought to draw a clear distinction between political disagreement and personal animosity, insisting that his position was grounded in institutional concerns.
“My position, is therefore not personal; it is based on my assessment of his record in public office and my responsibility as a senator to protect the integrity of our national institutions,” he said.
He added: “I do not believe Cllr. Tweh’s record as Minister of Justice inspires the confidence necessary for this responsibility.”
Snowe ended his statement with an unequivocal commitment to oppose Tweh if the nomination comes before the Senate.
“Accordingly, if his nomination comes before the Senate for confirmation, I will vote against his confirmation,” he declared.
The senator’s position could add a significant political dimension to President Boakai’s latest round of appointments, particularly if Tweh’s acting appointment is eventually followed by a formal nomination requiring legislative approval.
The Executive Mansion has not publicly indicated whether Tweh’s appointment as Acting Minister of National Defense will subsequently be submitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Tweh’s appointment was part of a wider set of changes announced by President Boakai on September 11.
Under the changes, outgoing Defense Minister, Geraldine J. George is to be reassigned, while Tweh assumes the position in an acting capacity.
However, Senator Snowe’s immediate rejection of Tweh’s Defense appointment has introduced an early political test for the administration, with the senator signaling that any future confirmation process will face scrutiny over the nominee’s previous record and the politically sensitive responsibility of overseeing Liberia’s Armed Forces.
Meanwhile, a statement from the office of Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh has strongly rejected the assertions by the Bomi County Senator on the performance record of the former Justice Minister, describing the senator’s characterization as a distortion of the ministry’s record under Tweh.
In response, Tweh’s office said, Senator Snowe’s assessment does not reflect the responsibilities of the Ministry of Justice or the initiatives undertaken during Tweh’s tenure.
It argued that the senator’s position appears to have been reached without a full appreciation of the ministry’s legal, administrative and public-policy responsibilities.
The office noted that the position of Minister of Justice and Attorney General is established under Chapter 22 of Liberia’s Executive Law, with responsibilities extending beyond prosecution to include legal counsel to government, law enforcement coordination and public administration.
According to the statement, Tweh’s approach at the ministry was therefore, not limited to prosecuting alleged violations, but also included preventive measures aimed at promoting responsible citizenship, respect for the law and peaceful communities.
Among the initiatives cited is the cohorts of responsible citizens program, which according to the statement the former minister launched as part of an effort to engage high school and university students on civic responsibility, respect for the rights of others, rejection of violence and constructive participation in their communities.
The program, the office said, was designed to equip young people with knowledge, skills and values necessary to become responsible citizens and future leaders capable of contributing positively to national development.
The office further pointed to remarks attributed to the incoming Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. Betty Lamin Blamo, who reportedly acknowledged that Tweh had established a solid governance foundation at the ministry upon which she intends to build.
It also cited a 2025 official visit by then-U.S. Ambassador to Liberia, Mark C. Toner to Tweh, saying, the diplomat commended his leadership at the Ministry of Justice.
Against that backdrop, the office contended that Senator Snowe’s criticism does not adequately account for the broader institutional work carried out under Tweh’s leadership.
It nevertheless acknowledged that Senator Snowe has the constitutional and legislative authority to determine how he will vote on Tweh’s confirmation, but urged that such a decision must be based on facts and a comprehensive assessment of the nominee’s record.
The office described Tweh as an experienced legal practitioner and public official whose expertise, it argued, remains valuable to Liberia, particularly as he assumes responsibility for the Ministry of National Defense.
It maintained that his appointment presents an opportunity for policy and institutional reforms within the defense sector and expressed confidence that his experience in law, governance and public administration will contribute to that process.
The statement concluded by rejecting what it called misleading characterizations of Tweh’s tenure at the Ministry of Justice, insisting that his record should be judged on documented policies, institutional initiatives and measurable contributions rather than political assertions.
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