-Cllr. Gongloe Advises Boakai As House’s Stalemate Continues
“ I advise the President openly that he should remain with the law ; communicate with the Speaker. The risky thing that the government should do is to do business with the rebellious lawmakers. It will set a wrong precedent. Other people will disrespect the law and that will undermine the authority of the House of Representatives,” renowned Liberian Lawyer, Cllr. Tiawan S. Gongloe told the In Profile Daily on Friday, November 14, 2024 at his law firm on Ashmund Street in Monrovia. Cllr. Gongloe’s comment has come against the backdrop that last week, three officials of the government from the Executive Branch reportedly appealed before the rebellious lawmakers of the House of Representatives to provide clarity on their alleged involvement in dishing out thousands of United States Dollars to facilitate the removal of House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa.
The learned legal mind said when politics and law are in conflict; for peace and stability sake, law must prevail. He noted: “I want the lawmakers who are outside to understand that they should not make the society and the world to see them as law breakers. Just because you don’t have the votes to remove the Speaker does not mean you should be rebellious.” He further noted: “They don’t like what Article 33 says that the minority can compel the majority to appeal; that is the law the people of Liberia made; it has not been changed.” According to him, the very Article 33 of the Constitution says that the lower number shall meet on a day-to-day basis and adjoin to compel the absent members to be present at the legislative meeting, emphasizing that the law is in favor of the lower number with the Speaker presiding in chamber. “The saga is seriously affecting the functions of the government. Their function of oversight is being affected; they are part of different committees that oversee the executive branch of government; they are not looking at the budget. All of the President’s trips around the world; perhaps there are some positive trips for the country, but nothing the President can do without their approval,” Cllr. Gongloe lamented against the stalemate. He also noted: “What I told some of them is look, the law is that you should have 2/3 majority; if you don’t have it now, may be you can have it next week; a month or a year later. Since you don’t have the votes; in a country of law, go back in the assembly and do the Liberian people work.” As the bickering over the speaker portfolio continues, Cllr. Gongloe indicated that some of the rebellious lawmakers have argued that politics is not law but he has told them that politics without the control of law leads to chaos and then jungle justice in a country governed by law; adding, “That is unacceptable.” For him, Cllr. Gongloe said the ongoing impasse at the House of Representatives is embarrassing because they are the leaders of the country and the citizens from diverse schools of thought are watching them; adding, “ If they see our lawmakers violating the law it’s going to have a long term negative effect on the growth and development of the country.” At the same time, Cllr. Gongloe said removing speaker during a Unity Party-led administration is a ‘terrible profile that UP is building. “It didn’t happen under Doe; there was an attempt to remove Speaker Nyondweh Monkonnoma under Taylor but it didn’t happen; only the President Pro-Tempore was removed. So this idea of removing speaker of the House, the Unity Party apparently wants things to happen like it wants to interfere with the activities of the Legislature because it was under the past Unity Party government of Madam Sirleaf that two speakers were removed. Now, this is an attempt to remove the third speaker under another UP-led government. I think the party needs to check itself. It is not a good history….” Notwithstanding, Cllr. Gongloe has urged Liberians to be mindful of the intricacies of changing lawmakers during every nationwide election. “You know Liberians have been virtually dumping majority lawmakers of the legislature during election time. Only few have being able to regain their seats. We don’t need that. People should be in the legislature for some time so that new people don’t have to learn all of the time. During election, they should elect people based on their tracked records to stay longer. This thing about changing people all the time has a destabilizing effect on the country. The voters should think twice, representative, senator and presidential candidates should be examined critically,” he stressed. Seeking his opinion on the recent decision of Justice in Chamber Cllr. Yarmie Quiqui Gbeisay not to grant embattled Speaker Koffa’s Writ of Injunction petition against the rebellious lawmakers, Cllr. Gongloe said such decision is done at the description of the justice in chamber; as such, he does not have any comment to make on the justice’s decision. Yet, he noted: “Now I understand that the Speaker has issued a new petition for Mandamus consistent with Article 33 to compel those absent lawmakers to be present; so we will watch and see what happens.” Cllr. Gongloe, President Boakai, Speaker Koffa, Rebellious Lawmakers