Published: February 26, 2025
CAPITOL HILL – Montserrado County District 10 Representative Yekeh Y. Koluba has flatly rejected a summons from the House Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration, citing the December 6 Supreme Court ruling that he claims renders the Majority Bloc’s authority illegitimate. Koluba’s defiant stance follows a complaint from River Gee County District 3 Representative Johnson S.N. Williams, who accused him of disrespecting Richard Nagbe Koon, Speaker of the majority bloc.
In a letter dated February 24, 2025, addressed to Chief Clerk Mildred Sayon, Koluba dismissed the committee’s authority, arguing that its actions are legally defective and do not extend beyond members of the Majority Bloc.
“As an elected officer of the House, it is your duty to advise the leadership of the Majority Bloc that their rules apply only to members of their bloc,” Kolubah wrote, insisting that the group lacks the legal standing to summon him.
Koluba anchored his argument on a Supreme Court decision not to attend the President’s State of the Nation Address which was convened by Koon. According to him, the Supreme Court’s action invalidated actions taken by the Majority Bloc in the absence of a constitutionally elected Speaker. He also referenced a clarification by Associate Justice Gbeissay, stating that without a duly elected Speaker, any decisions made by the Majority Bloc are unlawful.
“Any Majority Bloc action that does not conform to Articles 33 and 49 is illegal. I refer you to the Supreme Court’s refusal to sit under the gavel of Hon. Richard Koon and the subsequent clarification by Justice Gbeissay that, in the absence of the constitutionally elected Speaker, the Majority Bloc’s decisions are illegal,” Koluba stated.
He further warned Chief Clerk Sayon against issuing communications on behalf of the Majority Bloc, arguing that doing so violates legislative procedures. “To stay in conformity with the law, I will not submit myself to any committee of the Majority Bloc, and I advise you to cease and desist, as an officer of the House, from writing on their behalf pretending to be the plenary of the House,” he cautioned.
Despite Koluba’s defiance, the House Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration, chaired by James Kolleh, signaled that it would move forward with the proceedings. Kolleh informed the House during regular session that Koluba had failed to attend the initial hearing last Friday and that a search by the Sergeant-at-Arms to locate him had been unsuccessful.
“The committee has agreed to sit once again tomorrow, regardless of whether Honorable Kolubah appears or not. The complainant will be allowed to present their case, and all evidence in their possession will be reviewed. The committee will conduct a full inquiry, and a report with recommendations will be made to the plenary for further action,” Kolleh declared.
He further warned that failure to appear on Wednesday could prompt swift consequences. “If Honorable Kolubah fails to attend the hearing, the committee will take decisive action based on his absence and report to Plenary. Regardless, the proceedings will continue as planned,” he said.
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