Africa-Press – Liberia. Tensions within the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) have escalated as 11 county coordinators, under the banner of “Concerned County Coordinators,” have threatened to withdraw their support from FLY President Banica Elliott, citing repeated constitutional breaches and exclusionary leadership practices.
The group, representing 11 counties, criticized Elliott for allegedly ignoring grassroots voices and sidestepping the organization’s constitution. Their discontent intensified after Elliott and her executive team reportedly refused to attend a resolution meeting organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports aimed at addressing the internal rift.
“This is not leadership, this is deliberate neglect,” said Abraham Kollie, spokesperson for the coordinators and Bong County FLY Coordinator. “We’ve raised issues through the appropriate channels, but instead of engaging us, the leadership continues to ignore county-level representatives.”
Elliott’s presidency has faced repeated scrutiny in recent months. Earlier, she narrowly avoided impeachment after FLY’s Executive Committee accused her of persistent constitutional violations. Though she made concessions to remain in office, the coordinators claim those commitments have since been reversed.
Central to the current dispute is the leadership’s plan to hold County Secretariat elections ahead of the General Assembly in October—a move the group says violates Article 16 of the FLY Constitution, which requires such elections to be held three months after the General Assembly.
The coordinators also allege that Elliott’s administration has targeted dissenting voices for removal, replacing them with loyalists in what they describe as a campaign to consolidate power and marginalize opposition.
“This is a dangerous attempt to weaken county voices and turn FLY into a centralized power structure,” Kollie said. “If this continues, we will officially cease to recognize Banica Elliott’s leadership.”
The group is urging the Ministry of Youth and Sports to intervene to prevent what they describe as a looming crisis that could damage the credibility and unity of Liberia’s largest youth body.
“We are ready to defend the integrity of this institution,” Kollie added. “FLY must return to constitutional order, or it risks losing the trust of the very young people it was created to represent.”
As of press time, there has been no official response from President Elliott or the Ministry regarding the allegations.
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