Published: April 21, 2025
Monrovia – In an Easter Sunday sermon at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Catholic Archbishop of Monrovia, Gabriel Blamo Jubwe, issued a stern warning to Liberians and the national leadership: do not compromise the rule of law.
“In the absence of the rule of law, society becomes chaotic,” Archbishop Jubwe declared. “There should be no reason or excuse to compromise it.”
Though the Archbishop refrained from naming individuals or political groups, his message resonated deeply in a nation currently gripped by a contentious leadership battle in its Legislature. His remarks come just days before the Supreme Court is expected to deliver a highly anticipated ruling in a legal showdown involving embattled Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and a rival faction of lawmakers claiming majority status.
A Nation on Edge
The current crisis stems from deep fractures within the House of Representatives. Since October, 2024, the House of Representatives has been locked in a struggle for control after a controversial December 6 ruling from the Supreme Court failed to clearly affirm the legitimate leadership of the House. In the aftermath, Representative Richard Koon, with backing from a group calling itself the “majority bloc,” has challenged the speakership of J. Fonati Koffa, installing himself as a parallel leader.
Koffa, in turn, filed a Bill of Information before the Supreme Court, accusing the rival bloc and the Ministry of Justice of defying the Court’s prior ruling and violating Articles 33 and 49 of the Constitution.
“The law must be respected, regardless of numbers,” the Supreme Court emphasized in its earlier ruling, which declared any legislative sitting not presided over by the Speaker or Deputy Speaker as unconstitutional.
Supreme Court Rebuke
On March 26, the Full Bench of the Supreme Court convened to hear arguments from both sides. The courtroom drama peaked when Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh issued a blistering rebuke to Cllr. Varney Sherman, lead counsel for the majority bloc.
“Even if your clients are 100 in number, they don’t have the right to impose themselves as the majority bloc,” Justice Yuoh declared, questioning the legitimacy of their actions and demanding adherence to established legal norms.
Other justices joined the call for constitutional compliance. Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie stressed the danger of bypassing procedural safeguards, while Justice Yusuf Kaba underscored that the Speaker is entitled to due process — a critical distinction in a constitutional republic, he noted, compared to parliamentary democracies that allow for votes of no confidence.
ECOWAS Weighs In
Amid the legal back-and-forth, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) dispatched a high-level mission to Monrovia led by Nigeria’s former Foreign Minister, Professor Ibrahim Gambari. Following consultations with key national stakeholders including President Joseph Boakai, former presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Weah, and representatives of the international community, ECOWAS issued a measured but clear call for constitutional order.
“All parties must respect the ruling of the Supreme Court and embrace lawful dialogue,” the regional body stated, warning of the broader implications the impasse could have on Liberia’s fragile democracy.
ECOWAS also underscored the need for a roadmap to peacefully resolve the legislative crisis, calling on lawmakers to honor their oath of office and serve the public interest, not factional power struggles.
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