-- Admonishes Majority Bloc at Capitol to do the right thing
Former Vice President Chief Dr. Jewel Howard-Taylor has urged lawmakers to uphold the rule of law, emphasizing that the Speaker should be accorded respect unless removed by a two-thirds majority vote.
The former VP, a Counselor-At-Law, said the rule of law is for the general protection of all Liberians and must be protected by everyone.
"For me, I'm a lawyer, and it's said that the law sets the basics of a relationship with men as well as women because the law protects you and protects me too," Taylor weighed in on the issue.
She noted that the 1986 Constitution article 49 is clear that the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, and other officers, upon being elected for six years, may be removed from office for cause by resolutions of a two-thirds majority of the members of the house.
"As the group of lawmakers calling themselves majority lawmakers have not reached the two-thirds to remove Speaker Koffa, he remains a speaker, and he must be respected," she said.
Taylor, at the same time, lauded the pro-Koffa lawmakers for standing for the rule of law, with special emphasis on lawmakers from Bong County.
Additionally, former Vice President Taylor cautioned the Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Jeremiah Kpan Koung government to work in the confines of the rule of law in Liberia, regarding the current political crisis at the Liberian parliament.
She made the statement in an exclusive interview with journalists in Gbarnga, Bong County over the weekend.
The ongoing dispute over Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa's removal has stirred debate and political tensions within the Liberian parliament. Despite the efforts of the majority bloc to challenge the Speaker's position, contention remains unresolved, prompting intervention from ECOWAS mediators.
The controversy began on October 17, 2024, when 47 members of the 55th House of Representatives signed a resolution citing Articles 33 and 49 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia to cast a vote of no confidence in the Speaker.
The resolution sought the Speaker's immediate and unconditional removal, claiming that his actions contravened the House's standing rules and procedures, as well as the Constitution and organic laws of the Republic.
The resolution was obstructed when the Chairman on Rules, Order, and Administration shut down the legislative chamber, prompting the Majority of Members to convene in a joint chamber to continue their activities.
A mediation process was facilitated by an ECOWAS Parliamentary Mediation Mission to Liberia, aimed at addressing the impasse and restoring legislative order. However, conflicting views between the majority bloc and the Speaker's supporters persist, leading to a standoff on the way forward.
Following a series of engagements with stakeholders, ECOWAS proposed a six-point roadmap aimed at restoring order and enabling legislative functions to continue smoothly, adding that the complaint against the Speaker should be formally dispatched to him by the Majority Members.
ECOWAS, in its recommendation, wants the Speaker to respond in writing and recuse himself from presiding over sessions during the investigation; all members return to the main chamber for plenary sittings, and the Deputy Speaker presides during the investigation while the investigation would be concluded within two weeks.
ECOWAS is also recommending that security and decorum should be maintained for all members during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, in an official response, the Majority Bloc through its Chairman Samuel G. Kogar affirmed the bloc's stance on the matter, rejecting Count 3 of the ECOWAS proposal, which called for a return to the main chamber. The rest, the group said, was already initiated before ECOWAS's intervention.
Kogar said in a statement that the Majority Members had passed a legislative motion on November 12, 2024, presented by Hon. Steve Tequah of River Cess County, directing that "the Majority Bloc wants the Deputy Speaker to preside over the plenary during the investigation, while the special committee's findings are submitted to the plenary in consonance by the Constitution and the House's rules."
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Kogar also noted that the Supreme Court of Liberia, the ultimate judicial authority under Article 66 of the Constitution, had already affirmed the legitimacy of the Majority Members' sittings in the joint chamber, reinforcing their actions.
The Majority Bloc expressed appreciation for ECOWAS's efforts, underscoring the importance of regional peace and legal adherence.
"The Majority of Members appreciate the efforts of the ECOWAS Mediation Team thus far. We look forward to continuous working relations to promote peace, harmony, and the rule of law within the sub-region," Hon. Kogar stated.
The current stalemate has cast a shadow over the legislative process, leaving many Liberians to question how this impasse will impact governance and the country's political stability in the coming weeks. The outcome of the investigation and further deliberations will determine whether the House can move past this period of discord and resume its normal legislative duties effectively.
