-On House Leadership Crisis
Monrovia, – The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has called on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the Senate to avoid actions that “could undermine the authority of the Supreme Court” by recognizing any unconstitutional parallel leadership in the legislature.
The warning comes as the House of Representatives faces a serious crisis, with the potential for the three branches of government to be locked in a dangerous standoff over the legitimacy of the time House leadership.
Liberia’s Supreme Court mid-Wednesday delivered its verdict on Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s Amended Bill of Information, which challenged attempts by majority lawmakers to remove him from office. The PUL praised the judiciary for providing “crucial legal clarity” and demonstrating its “steadfast commitment to upholding the rule of law without bias, fear or favor.”
In a statement released Wednesday evening,
the Union commended the Court, the Union implores President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the executive branch, and the Liberian Senate to refrain from “undertaking any actions that could undermine the authority of the Supreme Court” by avoiding engagement with any parallel leadership structure within the House that lacks constitutional legitimacy.
The PUL also urges all members of the House of Representatives to fully respect the Court’s decision, both in letter and in spirit. The media body warned that continued infighting risks destabilizing Liberia’s fragile peace and derailing critical legislative processes needed for economic recovery and development.
“Follow Due Process”
Referencing earlier interventions by ECOWAS mediators, the PUL stressed that any attempt to remove Speaker Koffa must strictly adhere to constitutional procedures. “The process must be transparent, lawful, and free from authoritarian tactics,” the statement emphasized. “Liberians deserve leaders who govern with integrity, not through force or manipulation.”
“If the majority will indeed remove Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, the PUL echoes the advice of ECOWAS mediators: “The process must follow the appropriate constitutional procedures.” Rather than perpetuating a cycle of contention and authoritarian behavior, the PUL urges members of the House to act with integrity and a profound sense of national responsibility.”
At the same time, the Press Union commended the Court for delivering “crucial legal clarity” in the dispute and rallied the House to resolve the protracted speakership conflict through lawful means. “This is a defining moment for Liberia’s democracy,” the statement read. “The rule of law must prevail over political vendettas. We call on our lawmakers to rise above partisan divisions and act in the national interest.”
The Supreme Court Wednesday, April 23, 2025, declared all actions taken by the majority bloc of the House of Representatives unconstitutional if conducted without the elected Speaker presiding—unless the Speaker is formally absent or incapacitated.
The decision, delivered by the full branch through Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Young, commemorates a key moment in the ongoing political crisis that has deepened divisions within the House of Representatives. The ruling comes after months of turmoil in the House of Representatives, where a faction of lawmakers, led by Montserrado County District #11 Representative Richard N. Koon, had repeatedly convened sessions without Speaker Speaker Fonati Koffa.
