The Speaker of the House of Representatives J. Fonati Koffa has affirmed that he remains resolute to take further legal actions to assert his rights before the law, reiterating his stance that he will not resign the Speaker’s position until the appropriate proceeding is being taken by lawmakers seeking his removal.
Though the Speaker takes cognizance of the ruling of the Supreme Court of Liberia, he said he respects the decision of Justice Yormie Gbeisay but noted that the ruling does not exhaust his legal stance.
“The Speaker of the House of Representatives Honorable J. Fonati Koffa takes cognizance of the ruling from the Supreme Court of Liberia, in which Justice Yamie Gbeisay declined to issue a writ of prohibition prayed for to stop the illegal actions of some members of the House to hold sessions outside of the law,” he said through a social media post on November 6, 2024.
“I’m standing on the side of the law and will remain on course to ensure that no group of members will subvert the constitution of Liberia and the house rules. We intend to take further legal actions in the coming days to assert our rights before the law,” he declared.
It has been over two weeks since the House of Representatives’ stalemate commenced, causing fracture operations of the House.
To resolve this issue, Speaker Koffa proceeded to the Court by asking the Highest Court in the land to issue a writ of prohibition on the majority lawmakers pushing the removal of him, to cease the conduct of separate sessions outside of the law.
On November 6, 2024, Judge Gbeisay declined from placing a stay order praying to stop extra sessions of the majority lawmakers who have been holding sessions in the joint chamber of the national legislature. Their action has rendered the Speaker unable to conduct business of the Liberian people due to lack of quorum for over two weeks.
Currently, the Speaker has 30 members which have caused him to adjourn sessions since the turbulence, while the majority lawmakers are 43. They have been holding separate sessions since they broke away from their colleagues and refused to sit in the main chambers of the House of Representatives.