–Publishers Association Applauds Court’s Decision
The Supreme Court has mandated members of the House of Representatives to return to status quo ante and stay all further proceedings or actions pending the court’s determination of the Constitutionality of certain actions taken by some members of the House of Representatives of the 55th Legislature.
In law, status quo ante is defined as “the state of affairs that existed previously”, as in the case where the House of Representatives had only one Speaker and was presided over by Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa.
On Friday, November 22, 2024 the Supreme Court commanded its Marshal, Brig/Gen. Amos B. Kesseh Dickson, to notify the Minister of Justice/Attorney General, Cllr. Natu Oswald Tweh, to appear and file returns on the side of the law before the Full Bench of the Supreme Court in the impasse at the 55th House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 9:00 a.m., as to whether the petition of the Koffa bloc should be granted.
In the legal instrument given to the Marshal of the court, the Supreme Court mandated that the referenced members of the House of Representatives also be notified and file their returns.
“You are further commanded to instruct the Minister of Justice and the referenced members of the House of Representatives to file their official returns to this writ in the Office of the Clerk of this Honorable Court on or before said 26th day of November A.D. 2024; and have the members of the House of Representatives to return to status quo ante and stay all further proceedings or actions pending the determination of the matter…”
Meanwhile, the embattled Speaker of the House, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, has acknowledged receipt of the court’s stay order and pledged to respect and uphold the decision of the court.
“We have been served with the Supreme Court stay order on this important Constitutional matter. From the day of our ascendance, we pledged transparency, accountability and adherence to the rule of law. We have never wavered in that regard, even to our own detriment. As the final arbiter of legal and Constitutional dispute in Liberia, we pledge to respect and uphold the decision of the high court in this matter, win, lose or draw. No more business as usual. The law is the law,” embattled Speaker Koffa responded to the court’s order.
Also, the “majority bloc”, too, has confirmed receipt of the court’s order, but with several members of that group claiming that their decision was purely administrative and the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction over the matter.
Representative Foday Fahnbulleh of Bong County said, “We will receive the communication from the Supreme Court on Tuesday and act on it in session where our Speaker [Richard Koon] will be presiding, but the Supreme Court can’t interfere with our administrative decision. Representative Koffa has been removed, and we elected a new Speaker already.”
In a related development, the Publishers Association of Liberia (PAL) says it agrees with the Supreme Court of Liberia in calling for the return to status quo ante in the matter involving members of the house of representatives (majority and minority blocs).
In a press release issued over the weekend, PAL said it is concerned with the unfolding events at the National Legislature, which is the first branch of government, and the prolonged standoff between the majority and minority blocs—a crisis which has affected legislative functions and the governance of the state.
“The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of justice in the land and, as such, we call on all parties to respect the decision of the Supreme Court and the rule of law,” the PAL release observed.
PAL at the same time called on its members and all media institutions to avoid inflaming the already fragile situation, as doing so has the propensity of undermining the security of the state and the fragile democracy.