By Laurina B. Lormia
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has urged the Executive Branch, headed by President Joseph Boakai, to fully respect and implement the April 23, 2025 ruling of the Supreme Court.
Addressing the press at the office in Sinkor on Monday, April 28, 2025, on behalf of CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen, the Program Manager Gerald D. Yeakula emphasized that the Supreme Court’s decisions are final and binding, and therefore must be respected by all branches of government without delay or selective application.
He warned that continued engagement with the bloc of lawmakers led by Representative Richard Koon is a direct affront to the authority of the Judiciary and the rule of law.
“We call on the Executive to proceed in respecting the Supreme Court’s decision until the Court says otherwise,” Yeakula stated.
“The legitimacy of Liberia’s democracy rests squarely on adherence to the Constitution and the rulings of the nation’s highest court,” he added.
He noted that, despite the court’s unambiguous ruling, President Boakai’s public remarks appeared hesitant to fully recognize Speaker Koffa’s leadership.
The group described this as a dangerous precedent that threatens to undermine constitutional governance and democratic norms in Liberia.
According to him, any argument suggesting that the Executive must work with the Koon bloc to keep government functioning holds no legal merit.
The Supreme Court made it clear that a quorum achieved without the duly elected Speaker presiding is invalid and therefore any legislative actions taken under such circumstances are null and void.
He further emphasized that the failure of the Legislature to promulgate rules compelling attendance of its members, something mandated by the 1986 Constitution nearly four decades ago cannot now be used as an excuse to flout the court’s decision.
He stressed that lawmakers have an individual duty to respect the Supreme Court and attend sessions presided over by Speaker Koffa.
“Absent members cannot effectively remove the Speaker by boycotting legislative sessions,” he said.
“If they wish to challenge his leadership, they must do so through lawful procedures during properly constituted sessions,” he maintained.
He also acknowledged the Petition for Re-Argument filed by the Koon bloc but insisted that until the Court overturns or modifies its previous decision, the April 23 ruling remains the standing law of the land.
Therefore, the Executive and all other government entities are obligated to comply fully.
“The filing of the Petition for Re-Argument is itself an acknowledgment of the Supreme Court’s authority,” he added.
“It demonstrates that the Koon bloc recognizes the binding nature of the court’s decision, even if they seek to challenge it,” he stated.
He warned that any attempt by the Executive to continue recognizing or engaging with the Koon bloc as a legitimate body risks further constitutional crises and damages Liberia’s already fragile democracy.
They cautioned that such actions would erode public trust in governance and the rule of law.
He however expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court for its previous delays in ruling on the Bill of Information filed by Speaker Koffa, arguing that the slow pace of judicial processes contributed to the escalation and prolongation of the legislative crisis.
He, therefore, called on the court to attach the same urgency to political governance disputes as it does to election-related cases, noting that stable governance is as crucial to national stability as credible elections.
He urged members of the Legislature to lead by example by adhering to the Constitution and established procedures, particularly regarding the removal of a sitting Speaker emphasizing that any shortcuts in due process would severely harm the country’s fragile democratic gains.
He lamented that the ongoing legislative dysfunction has significantly slowed national decision-making on critical issues and major documents, further worsening the hardships faced by ordinary Liberians.
Meanwhile, he made a passionate appeal to President Boakai to uphold the rule of law by fully enforcing the Supreme Court’s ruling.
He further called on him to restore Speaker Koffa’s rights and privileges immediately and to sever any ties with the Koon bloc until and unless the Supreme Court rules otherwise.
“Liberia’s hard-won democratic gains must not be compromised for political convenience. Respect for the Constitution and the judiciary is non-negotiable if Liberia is to move forward,” he concluded.
