Vice President of Liberia

Last updated

Vice President of the
Republic of Liberia
Coat of arms of Liberia.svg
Incumbent
Jeremiah Koung
since January 22, 2024
Style Ms. Vice President
(Informal)
Her Excellency
(Formal)
Term length Six years
Inaugural holder Nathaniel Brander
January 3, 1848
Formation 1847 Constitution of Liberia
July 26, 1847
Website www.emansion.gov.lr

The vice president of the Republic of Liberia is the second-highest executive official in Liberia, and one of only two elected executive offices along with the president. The vice president is elected on the same ticket with the president to a six-year term. In the event of the death, resignation or removal of the president, the vice president ascends to the presidency, and holds the position for the remainder of their predecessor's term. The vice president also serves as the president of the Senate and may cast a vote in the event of a tie. The current vice president is Jeremiah Koung, serving under president Joseph Boakai. He began his term on January 22, 2024.

Contents

Qualifications

Article 52 of the Constitution lays out the qualifications for candidates for vice president. To be eligible for office under the current Constitution, a vice presidential candidate must:

Additionally, the vice president may not reside in the same county as the president.

Succession

Under Article 63(b), the vice president ascends to the presidency in the event of president's death, resignation, impeachment, or when the president is declared incapable of carrying out the duties of the office. In the event of ascension, the vice president serves as president for the remainder of their predecessor's term, though this period is not considered a term for the purposes of term limits to the presidency. According to Article 63(a), should the president-elect die or become otherwise incapacitated before his or her inauguration, the vice president-elect is sworn in as president in their place, though a term of this nature does constitute a term for the purposes of determining term limits.

To date, five vice presidents have ascended to the presidency, either due to the president's death, resignation, or removal from office: James Skivring Smith, Alfred Francis Russell, William D. Coleman, William Tolbert, and Moses Blah.

There have been twelve vacancies in the office, the first of which occurred between October 26, 1871 and January 1, 1872; after the ascension of James Skivring Smith to the office of president. The most recent vacancy was between August 11, 2003 and January 16, 2006; after the ascension of Moses Blah to the office of president and prior to the election of Joseph Boakai.

List of officeholders

Political parties
   Republican Party
   True Whig Party
   National Democratic Party
   National Patriotic Party
   Unity Party
Other factions
   Independent
No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePolitical partyElected President Notes
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 No image.png Nathaniel Brander
(1796–?)
January 3, 1848January 7, 18502 years, 4 days Independent 1847 Roberts
2 No image.png Anthony D. Williams
(1799–1860)
January 7, 1850January 2, 18543 years, 360 days Independent 1849
1851
3 Stephen Allen Benson.jpg Stephen Allen Benson
(1816–1865)
January 2, 1854January 7, 18562 years, 5 days Independent 1853
4 Beverly Page Yates.jpg Beverly Page Yates
(1811–1883)
January 7, 1856January 2, 18603 years, 360 days Independent 1855 Benson
1857
5 Daniel Warner2.jpg Daniel Bashiel Warner
(1815–1880)
January 2, 1860January 4, 18644 years, 2 days Independent 1859
1861
6 James M Priest.jpg James M. Priest
(1819–1883)
January 4, 1864January 6, 18684 years, 2 days Republican Party 1863 Warner
1865
7 No image.png Joseph Gibson
(1823–1886)
January 6, 1868January 3, 18701 year, 362 days Republican Party 1867 Payne
8 SkivringSmith.jpg James Skivring Smith
(1825–1884)
January 3, 1870October 26, 1871
(Ascended)
1 year, 296 days True Whig Party 1869 Roye [note 1]
Vacancy by ascensionOctober 26, 1871January 1, 1872 Smith
9 Anthony W. Gardiner.jpg Anthony W. Gardiner
(1820–1885)
January 1, 1872January 3, 18764 years, 2 days Republican Party 1871 Roberts
1873
10 No image.png Charles Harmon
(1832–1886)
January 3, 1876January 7, 18782 years, 4 days Republican Party 1875 Payne [note 2]
11 Alfred Russell2.jpg Alfred Francis Russell
(1817–1884)
January 7, 1878January 20, 1883
(Ascended)
5 years, 13 days True Whig Party 1877 Gardiner [note 3]
1879
1881
Vacancy by ascensionJanuary 20, 1883January 7, 1884 Russell
12 No image.png James Thompson
(?–?)
January 7, 1884January 4, 18927 years, 362 days True Whig Party 1883 Johnson
1885
1887
1889
13 William Coleman2.jpg William D. Coleman
(1842–1908)
January 4, 1892November 12, 1896
(Ascended)
4 years, 313 days True Whig Party 1891 Cheeseman [note 4]
1893
1895
Vacancy by ascensionNovember 12, 1896January 3, 1898 Coleman
14 JJ Ross.png Joseph J. Ross
(1842–1899)
January 3, 1898October 24, 1899
(Died)
1 year, 294 days True Whig Party 1897 [note 5]
1899
Vacancy by deathOctober 24, 1899January 6, 1902
Gibson
15 Joseph Summerville.png Joseph D. Summerville
(1860–1905)
January 6, 1902July 27, 1905
(Died)
3 years, 202 days True Whig Party 1901 [note 6]
1903 A. Barclay
Vacancy by deathJuly 27, 1905January 1, 1906
16 J. J. Dossen.jpg James Jenkins Dossen
(1866–1924)
January 1, 1906January 1, 19126 years True Whig Party 1905
1907
17 No image.png Samuel George Harmon
(1861–1925)
January 1, 1912January 5, 19208 years, 4 days True Whig Party 1911 Howard
1915
18 No image.png Samuel Alfred Ross
(1870–1929)
January 5, 1920January 1, 19243 years, 361 days True Whig Party 1919 King
19 Henry Too Wesley (cropped).jpg Henry Too Wesley
(1877–1944)
January 1, 1924January 2, 19284 years, 1 day True Whig Party 1923
20 No image.png Allen Yancy
(1881–1941)
January 2, 1928December 3, 1930
(Resigned)
2 years, 335 days True Whig Party 1927 [note 7]
Vacancy by resignationDecember 3, 19301930 E. Barclay
21 No image.png James Skivring Smith Jr.
(1891–1950)
1930January 3, 194413–14 years True Whig Party
1931
1939
22 Clarence Lorenzo Simpson Sr. (cropped 3x4).jpg Clarence Lorenzo Simpson
(1896–1969)
January 3, 1944January 1, 19527 years, 363 days True Whig Party 1943 Tubman
23 William R. Tolbert, Jr..JPG William Tolbert
(1913–1980)
January 1, 1952July 23, 1971
(Ascended)
19 years, 203 days True Whig Party 1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
Vacancy by ascensionJuly 23, 1971April 1972 1971 Tolbert [note 8]
24 No image.png James Edward Greene
(1914–1977)
April 1972July 22, 1977
(Died)
5 years, 112 days True Whig Party
1975
Vacancy by deathJuly 22, 1977October 31, 1977
25 No image.png Bennie Dee Warner
(born 1935)
October 31, 1977April 12, 1980
( Deposed )
2 years, 164 days True Whig Party [note 9]
Vacancy due to People's Redemption Council April 12, 1980January 6, 1986 [note 10]
26 No image.png Harry Moniba
(1937–2004)
January 6, 1986September 9, 1990
(Deposed)
4 years, 246 days National Democratic Party 1985 Doe
Vacancy due to First Liberian Civil War September 9, 1990August 2, 1997 [note 11]
27 No image.png Enoch Dogolea
(1951–2000)
August 2, 1997June 24, 2000
(Died)
2 years, 327 days National Patriotic Party 1997 Taylor
Vacancy by deathJune 24, 2000July 24, 2000
28 No image.png Moses Blah
(1947–2013)
July 24, 2000August 11, 20033 years, 18 days National Patriotic Party
Vacancy by ascensionAugust 11, 2003October 3, 2003 Blah
Vacancy due to Accra Peace Agreement October 3, 2003January 16, 2006 [note 12]
29 Joseph Boakai (cropped).png Joseph Boakai
(born 1944)
January 16, 2006January 22, 201812 years, 6 days Unity Party 2005 Sirleaf
2011
30 Jewel Taylor (9061) (cropped).jpg Jewel Taylor
(born 1963)
January 22, 2018January 22, 20246 years National Patriotic Party 2017 Weah
31 No image.png Jeremiah Koung
(born 1978)
January 22, 2024Incumbent17 days Unity Party 2023 Boakai

Timeline

Jeremiah KoungJewel TaylorJoseph BoakaiMoses BlahEnoch DogoleaHarry MonibaBennie Dee WarnerJames Edward GreeneWilliam TolbertClarence Lorenzo SimpsonJames Skivring Smith Jr.Allen YancyHenry Too WesleySamuel Alfred RossSamuel George HarmonJames Jenkins DossenJoseph D. SummervilleJoseph J. RossWilliam D. ColemanJames Thompson (politician)Alfred Francis RussellCharles HarmonAnthony W. GardinerJames Skivring SmithJoseph GibsonJames M. PriestDaniel Bashiel WarnerBeverly Page YatesStephen Allen BensonAnthony D. Williams (politician)Nathaniel BranderVice President of Liberia

See also

Notes

  1. President Roye was forcibly removed from office on October 26, 1871. Vice President Smith was sworn in and served the remaining two months of Roye's presidency with no vice president.
  2. On 1 January 1878, six days prior to the inauguration of Anthony Gardiner as president, the House of Representatives impeached and suspended President Payne from office. Vice President Harmon served as acting president for the final six days of the administration. [1]
  3. President Gardiner resigned from office after falling seriously ill. Vice President Russell served as president for the remaining year of Gardiner's term with no vice president.
  4. President Cheeseman died in office. Vice President Coleman served as president for the remainder of Cheeseman's term with no vice president, and then was elected president in his own right in 1897 with Joseph J. Ross as his vice president.
  5. Vice President Ross died in 1900, leaving President Coleman without a vice president. On December 11, 1900, Coleman resigned, and Secretary of State Gibson served as president for the remainder of Coleman's term without a vice president, before being elected in his own right in 1901 with Joseph D. Summerville as his vice president.
  6. Vice President Summerville died in July 27, 1905 following his and President Gibson's reelection but prior to their inauguration. As no mechanism existed for replacing a vice president, which would have left Gibson without a vice president for his entire term, a constitutional amendment was ratified that year allowing for the president to call a special election in the absence of a vice president to fill the vacancy. J. J. Dossen won the special election in 1905 and was inaugurated along with Gibson in 1906.
  7. Both President King and Vice President Yancy resigned on December 3, 1930. Secretary of State Barclay was inaugurated as president, and Vice President James Skivring Smith Jr. was elected in a special election soon after.
  8. President Tubman died following his and Tolbert's reelection in 1971, but prior to his inauguration. Tolbert served the remainder of Tubman's sixth term before being inaugurated for Tubman's elected seventh term.
  9. Warner was ousted along with the rest of the government by the Armed Forces of Liberia.
  10. During 1980–1981 Thomas Weh Syen was Doe's second-in-command in the military administration. Weh Syen was in charge on vice-presidential duties. [2] After Weh Syen was executed on Doe's orders, he was replaced as Vice Head of State by Nicholas Podier. [3]
  11. Roland Diggs served as Vice President in the administration of Amos Sawyer from August 1990 to April 1991. [4] He was succeeded in April 1991 by Peter Naigow,[ citation needed ] who also resigned. There were many Deputy Chairmen of the Council of State of Liberia during 1994–1997, including Dexter Bah Tahyor, Isaac Musa, Charles Taylor, G. V. Kromah, George Boley, Oscar Jaryee Quiah and Tamba Tailor. [5]
  12. During this time, the National Transitional Government of Liberia was in charge of government duties. Vice-Chairman Wesley Momo Johnson assumed the duties and powers of the office of vice-president during part of this period.

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References

  1. Sims, James L.; Seymour, George L.; Benjamin J. K. Anderson; James Fairhead (2003). African-American Exploration in West Africa: Four Nineteenth-Century Diaries. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 72. ISBN   0-253-34194-9.
  2. "Liberian Dialogue article - V.P. Moses Blah's "Death News" Stirs Unwelcome Memories by Tewroh Sungbeh". Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2009.
  3. "Weh-Syen Weeps?" The Monrovia Express 1981-08-12: 1/8.
  4. Jalloh, Tanu (August 1, 2008). "Liberia: Prof Amos Sawyer's Life As a Liberian". AllAfrica .
  5. "Notable Women of Liberia @ Liberian Online - Liberia Portal". Archived from the original on March 29, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2009.