By Precious D. Freeman
“Cllr. Bornor Varmah acted in breach of Article 2 and 76(a)(5) of the Liberian Constitution. The matter will be handled accordingly; through resignation or impeachment,” those were the exact words the Executive Committee of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA).
The Committee’s statement was made when it categorically distanced itself from the utterance of its president, Varmah, on the Supreme Court’s opinion in the legislative confusion.
According to the Committee, Cllr. Varmah acted unilaterally and violated the Association’s bylaws and averred that he is being politically influenced by the Boakai-led administration to discredit the Judiciary.
“This was a failed attempt to discredit the Supreme Court,” the Committee stated.
The Committee also suggested that Varmah’s criticism of the court may have been politically motivated, with expectations of being nominated as Associate Justice once the current Chief Justice retires.
Analysts warned that these developments could mark a turning point in the politicization of Liberia’s Judiciary and if left unchecked, critics said, it may unravel public confidence in both the courts and the Bar Association itself.
“This is not just a legal dispute; it’s a fundamental test of our democratic institutions,” one observer noted. “Liberia must be careful not to let political ambition erode constitutional safeguards.”
The Bar concluded its statements by calling for vigilance, unity, and national prayer, declaring the current moment as one of “grave constitutional consequence.”
The Executive Committee’s rebuke comes following the Bar president’s immediately criticized a recent Supreme Court ruling, raising alarm over what it terms judicial overreach, the weakening of democratic norms, and potential threats to Liberia’s constitutional governance.
The April 23, 2025 decision upheld House Speaker Fonati Koffa’s leadership and declared legislative actions taken without his authority as unconstitutional; an assertion the LNBA warns could trigger a national governance crisis.
The controversial ruling came in response to an Amended Bill of Information filed by Koffa, seeking judicial clarification on legislative authority amid a split within the House of Representatives.
While the Supreme Court emphasized the need for lawful legislative procedures, the LNBA’s president took issue with how the Bill of Information was employed and argued that the court had distorted its function by re-opening a politically sensitive matter already decided through prior litigation.
“The expansion of the Bill of Information into a tool for re-litigating settled political disputes sets a dangerous precedent,” the LNBA cautioned. “It invites misuse and distorts the judicial process, turning the Court into a battleground for unresolved legislative conflicts.”
However, the Bar’s prexy insisted that decisions over legislative leadership and internal proceedings fall squarely within the Legislature’s authority and should not be arbitrated by the Judiciary, no matter how complex or contentious the dispute may be.
“The crisis within the House of Representatives is inherently political,” Varmah noted. “It should be resolved through institutional mechanisms, political negotiations, and respect for the rule of law—not through judicial imposition.”
In asserting control over the quorum and legitimacy of legislative sessions, the Supreme Court has effectively interjected itself into the internal governance of the House, the LNBA boss argued.
He warned that this kind of judicial activism could embolden future political actors to bypass their institutional responsibilities and resort to court interventions.
The LNBA president explained that this will not only erode the independence of the Legislature but also distort the balance of power essential to Liberia’s democratic framework thus describing the ruling as a “dangerous precedent” that risks undermining faith in the political process.
According to Varmah, if the court’s ruling stands, it could invalidate all legislative acts passed by the majority, including the 2025 National Budget thereby highlighting the paralyzes of government’s operations, disruption of salary payments, and plunging the country into administrative disarray.
He furthered alleged that the Supreme Court’s actions might be tantamount to undermining its own credibility noting, “The Supreme Court has indicted itself by breaching the very constitutional guardrails it is meant to protect.”
But in less than 48 hours of the Bar’s EC’s comment, an extraordinary session of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the LNBA comprising of presidents of the 15 County Bar Associations and national elected officials was convened.
In that Wednesday April 30, 2025 meeting, the National Executive Council overwhelmingly voted to affirm the April 29, 2025 press statement issued by the National president Varmah, and to continue working exceedingly towards projecting a unified, purposeful, and radical LNBA.
The statement, which speaks clearly to matters of national concern, judicial independence, and the protection of democratic institutions, according to the council, reflects the values and foundational principles of the Bar as a defender of justice and advocate for the rule of law.
The NEC said it recognizes that the National president’s statement has provoked critical dialogues from all sectors of the society, which is indicative of a robust and the burgeoning national democracy.
The NEC reaffirmed its support for the leadership of the National Bar Association, headed by Cllr. Varmah, who is the constitutionally mandated National Spokesperson, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairperson of the National Executive Council.
The Council called on all members of the LNBA, county bar associations, the Judiciary, and the Liberian public to rally around the leadership of Cllr. Varmah in promoting accountability, fairness, and integrity in public governance and the legal profession.
The council assured that the LNBA remains resolute in its statutory and moral responsibility to speak truth to power and to defend the interests of the Liberian people through principled advocacy and responsible leadership.
