Liberia-The embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Fonati Koffa, has vowed to continue his legal battle against what he describes as illegal sessions being conducted by a faction of lawmakers pushing for his removal.
Following Associate Justice Yamie Gbeisay’s denial of his petition to halt these parallel meetings on Wednesday, Speaker Koffa signaled his intent to consider other legal options, determined to assert his authority and uphold the constitutional order within the House.
The Grand Kru County lawmaker had sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to stop these parallel sessions, arguing that they undermine the authority of his office and disrupt legislative order. However, the petition was rejected on November 6,2024 prompting the Speaker to consider taking the matter to the full bench of the Supreme Court.
In response to the ruling, Speaker Koffa reiterated his commitment to upholding the Constitution and protecting the established rules of the House. “I am standing firmly on the side of the law and will remain resolute in ensuring that no group of members can subvert the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia or the established rules of the House,” Koffa declared.
He added, “We intend to take further legal actions in the coming days to assert our rights within the framework of the law. I will not resign in the face of such callous disregard for the legal process.”
The self-style Majority Bloc has challenged the validity of the House’s standing rules and questioned Speaker Koffa’s authority, claiming that their numerical strength gives them legitimate grounds to hold sessions independently.
During a conference with Associate Justice Gbeisay on Monday, the anti-Koffa faction admitted that due process had not been extended to the Speaker but argued that, since no formal impeachment proceedings had commenced, his request for prohibition was premature.
Speaker Koffa’s legal team contends that their client is being denied due process and that the actions of his colleagues violate both the Liberian Constitution and House rules. The Speaker has dismissed allegations against him including accusations of conflict of interest, budget mismanagement, and unauthorized structural changes within the House as baseless and lacking proper evidence.
He has called on his colleagues to adhere to constitutional procedures, specifically Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution, which mandates due process, a two-thirds majority vote, and a fair hearing before a speaker can be removed from office.
