Nation Growls at Boakai, Majority Bloc -Opposition, Civil Society Vent Anger for Downplaying SC Judgment

MONROVIA – The April 23, 2025 ruling by the High Court of Liberia in favor of rule of law in the House Speakership case involving two blocs embroiled into intractable power struggle has accentuated and climaxed a clear divide existing between President Joseph Boakai and the majority bloc on the one hand, and the entire nation including the opposition community, professional groups, civil society organizations, and prominent citizens on the other. The omen of the danger of the divide is clearly hovering over the nation as the rest of the nation seems united and ready not to allow a seemingly obstinate president and his ‘majority bloc’ comrades-in-arms ruin the constitutional powers of the High Court, and generally the sanctity of rule of law in the country to nothingless. A sign of the pending standoff flared up over the weekend when nearly very known opposition political grouping and civil society representatives in the country converged on one venue not only to vent their outrages but also to plan fierce resistance to Boakai and the majority bloc’s attempts to sidestep the Supreme Court and rule of law. The Analyst reports.    

While nation was expecting an ultimate closure to the long power debacle in the House of Representatives upon the declaration of judgement in the case by the final arbiter of justice in the country, the Supreme Court, reactions of the Republic’s president and a party in the case, the majority bloc, seem to suggest otherwise. Their reactions have suggested the High Court is not the final arbiter, and this has triggered enormous public ire.

This has infuriated the nation, and Liberians representing various opposition parties, civil society, and ordinary citizens have been decrying the president’s stance, and the arrogance of a party to the case, the so-called majority bloc.

The headquarters of the Alternative National Congress was on a Friday, April 25, a scene of fiery rhetoric, denunciations and consistent outcries when a throng of citizens gathered, alone with them the National Patriotic Party, the Congress for Democratic Change, Movement for Economic Empowerment, the Citizens’ Movement for Change, and the civil society group STAND, amongst others.  

NPP’s Howard-Taylor: “Boakai, Follow Constitutional Mandate”

Speaking at the joint press conference held at the headquarters of the ANC was the former Vice President of Liberia, Jewel Howard-Taylor, who observed that the incumbent president is sidestepping his constitutional oath and mandate.

She noted that elected officials of the country take a solemn oath that obliges them to uphold and protect the laws and constitution, but that this was not the case with President Boakai and his ‘majority of bloc” who continued to float the laws of the country and trample upon the rights of people.

“I don’t know how we got here. Certainly, I least expected that we, as a people, would get to this point where we would have the number one citizen [the president] who vowed to respect all laws is playing politics with his constitutional mandate,” the former VP said. “The truth is, this constitutional mandate is not a debatable mandate, President Boakai. You must follow the mandate from the Supreme Court.”

She continued: “Today, we gather as opposition parties and civil society organizations of like minds to speak to a very troubling issues; this regards the rule of law, especially when that rule of law emanates from the nation’s highest court, the Supreme Court, and it is being shrugged by those who supposed to uphold it. On January 22nd, 2024 president Boakai took the oath of office, and he swore to uphold the rule of law, and he ended it with a pledge, ‘so help me god.””

She left a dire warning: “There is a very clear difference here: either we agree to follow a path of chaos, because once you do not go by the rule of law, then you are calling for chaos. We either do chaos or we do calm where our country is able to move forward, where the hopes and aspirations of our people will be met. Let it be known that Liberia will no longer be looked at as a pariah state. I am calling on the president of the Republic of Liberia, President Joseph N. Boakai, members of the Unity Party and members of the Liberian Senate and the House of Representative to abide by the Supreme Court ruling”.

She concluded: “That is reason why the onus is on the president to do better; because, the first branch of government is the implementer of all laws. The Supreme Court has spoken, and what it spoke is law and is a mandate. We look forward to his implementation of this mandate to the full.”

CDC’s Kowo: “Boakai, you’ve Liberian People to contend with”

Normally known for their militant rhetoric style, the CDC through its chairman Janga Kowo sent out a strong mail to the president and his team.

“We can assure president Boakai and his team: you have got the Liberian people to content with. To all progressive forces, we call on you now to begin to mobilize, organize, put together your water bottles, put together your sacs of water, to confront the tyranny that is emerging in President Boakai. As we leave this meeting, we will be conferring. This is just a public show; some may consider this. Yes, this is just a public show, but from now to Tuesday, there will be no sleeping. We will be organizing and we will be mobilizing students, communities, civil society.”

 “We will be mobilizing the motorcyclists and our people in the communities. So, you can tell your thousands of police officers to get ready for ten to fifteen thousand citizens; you can even bring the army out. We can assure you that, what keep you in power is not the force of the police, neither the force of the military; it’s the force of the people’s civility that keeps you in power.”

The CDC chairman opined that president Boakai and his majority bloc have upon themselves the liberty to desecrate the civility of the office of the presidency. “We can assure you that you will be confronted. If people ever thought that the opposition forces were weak, now we stand up. We have documented the excesses of this regime, because to take action, you need preponderance of evidence.”

Kowo called on the Liberian Council of Churches, Liberia Muslim Council, ECOWAS, AU, the US government, and all international partners to prevail upon President Boakai to go back to address the nation; to wholeheartedly accept the ruling of the supreme court, because, according to him, “failure to do that is a treason”.

According to the CDC leader, the speech delivered by the president in reaction to Supreme Court judgment on the Koffa Vs Majority Bloc is treasonable and the citizens of the country would have the right to invoke article one of the constitution.

“So we call on international partners, on ECOWAS, the AU not to sit idly by as to allow the country to erupt before beginning to negotiate peace,” he said. “You have the opportunity now to prevail upon the president to fulfill his constitutional duty in line with the oath he swore on January 22, 2024, to respect the constitution of the Republic of the Liberia by respecting the ruling of the Supreme Court of Liberia.”

Kowo pledged the CDC and Liberian people’s support to Speaker Koffa, vowing to protect him while the President is failing to restore his amenities and privileges, including security, adding that “this is not about Koffa but about the constitutional office of the Speaker of the House.  

“It could be [the president’s son] Jojo Boakai tomorrow. So, it’s about respecting the constitution of the country,” he continued. “We are defending the constitution of the Republic of Liberia. So if the president is serious about respecting the constitution and living up to his oath of office, he should immediately instruct the Minister of Justice to return the security details of the speaker, because the executive and the president has a constitutional obligation to enforce the law and the supreme court ruling is a law that is enforceable. This is not negotiable.”

He called on Speaker J. Fonati Koffa to stand his ground, as he remains the constitutional and lawful Speaker Koffa.

The CDC chairperson said to Koffa: “You are supported by the constitution of the Republic of Liberia. This fight is not about you, as an individual. this fight is about preserving the democracy we have fought for. This fight is not solely about the House of Representatives; this fight is about the very future of the country. This fight is a fight for which hundreds of thousands of compatriots died from 1979 to 2003.”

ANC’s Horatio Gould: “Don’t Grumble Rule of Law”

The chief convener of the press conference, Alternative National Congress’ Lafayette Horatio Gould likened the reaction of president Boakai and his majority bloc to children’s play when those who are the losing end would “back grumble”—put on unnecessary hostility to save face from clear defeat.

The Unity party government has decided to ‘back grumble’, because basically that is what they are doing, he said.

“I remember when I was growing up, some time when you disagree with the results of the game on the football field, and the referee decides against you, in order to save face from defeat you grab the football and walk away. We used to call it ‘backing grumble’. Certainly, this is what the Unity Party folks are doing.”

He said in the instant incident, the Supreme Court, which has the constitutional mandate to deliver final rulings where party litigants are involved, has given its mandate which is in its purview to do, yet president Boakai and his majority bloc are backing grumble. 

“Remember, when the Supreme Court came out with the first ruling, which everybody thought was not clear enough. Today, it’s crystal clear. So, what is the point this time around?”

Gould spoke of the need for opposition parties and all well-meaning Liberians to work together and pressure the ruling elites abide by the Supreme Court ruling, indicating that he feels at ease, as he is not a stranger, working with folks from the Congress of Democratic Change.

“As you all know, I once led the CDC,” he recalled. “We want to thank you all for showing up today. We are very grateful to all the political parties. I am very proud of the chairperson of STAND as well. I remembered, in his early political days, I served as a mentor and now He has grown, so I am a proud mentor. I am also drinking from the fountain of knowledge of Her Excellency Jewel Howard Taylor. She is a woman in this country who stands up amongst men and to have a voice. They are not so many. I am very grateful that we call upon you all on a short notice to come to us and to hear what we have to say.”

Mulbah Morlu: “Joining Ranks with Progressive Forces”

One of many civil society organizations in attendance was the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day, STAND, which though indicated it was non-political but was inclined to join other progressive forces fashion an approach to quell creeping tyranny in the country.

The Chairman of the organization, Mulbah Morlu said: “We are here to join forces with all progressive elements here and beyond, to compare compliance with the mandate of the Supreme Court. That’s why we are here. The message that must be sent out of these political revolutionary processes is that Liberia is too big and our constitution is too heavy to be challenged by one man or a few persons. And these processes must not only be concluded with statements alone, although those are important. I encourage you all so that the statements be demonstrated in solidarity and harmony to our purpose.”

Morlu continued: “I would like to be very clear that STAND is not a political institution and does not ascribe to be one at any time. We are civil society institution that wants to work with everybody for the peace and stability of the country. We are here because we were invited. So, if you have your problem for not seeing us around you, it’s your fault, because you have not invited us. This is our first invitation by political leaders, to come to arenas of viable national political discussions, and so we came because the peace and stability of Liberia is everyone’s business.”

He said it is not up to Mr. Boakai to decide whether Liberians have peace or don’t have peace, for peace is sine qua non and irreversible, no matter who is president.

He stressed that President Boakai is under a constitutional responsibility to uphold peace and stability by ensuring that the traits of democracy are upheld at all times; no a choice or an opinion for which Boakai must be appeased to do the right thing.

“Mr. Boakai is a servant of the people,” Morlu further said. He added: “We pay him. We put gas in his vehicles. It’s our money that was used to buy the one-million-dollar car that he is riding today. So, he will work consistent with the work of the people or else the people can fire you. It’s our right. So, President Boakai has a choice to make: to lead, or to leave. He can choose to lead or to leave. It’s an option.”

The STAND chairman said long before what he called Boakai’s “constitutional misbehavior”, his organization had announced that there would be a day of the people that has been proclaimed, July 17, “to hold the polluters of the seat of governance accountable to the rule of law.”

He revealed that July 17th has been the date to mark as the day of the people, where multitudes in their tens of thousands of Liberians who believe in the rule of law, who believe that the economic hardship can come to an end – civil servants that were unjustly dismissed for political identification to parties, civil servant who were removed from the payroll because they were identified as elements of a certain political party – will rise up and speak and act.

Morlu continued: “Those Liberians whose homes have been broken under the false pretense of development; petty traders who have been beaten and brutalized everyday by a violent deputy police supported by recalcitrant and lawless police director, all will be coming outside on the 17th of July in what is referenced or captioned as ‘THE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’ protest to restore sanity to governance in our country. It’s already been planned, it doesn’t mean that because we have planned that protest, there cannot be other protests alone the way.”

Morlu also said he however believe president Boakai still has a chance to reverse his misplaced government ideas.

“I think, they are losing the ball rapidly,” he said. “They call themselves rescuers, but you can’t recue anyone if Mr. Boakai himself is drowning and needs to be rescued. And we have to rise up to rescue the rescuers. We remain a viable and vibrant civil society institution. Whatever model is developed moving forward, whatever platform is developed in pursuit of the rule of law, we will support it. We will stand with it, and we will not sit. We will stand until Mr. Boakai’s lawless, misguided, and thoughtless rebellion against the Supreme Court ruling is revised.”

MOVEE’s James Paye: “We Remain Supportive of Rule of Law”

For his part, the Secretary General of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), James Paye assured the gathering of politicians and civil society actors that his party stands ready to support any efforts that tend to protect and defend the constitution and the rule of law in Liberia.

“Our presence, including that of our political leader H.E Amb. D. Maxwell D Kemayah Sr. and the National chairman, should indicate that have come to join the forces with all opposition political parties and civil society movements and other Liberians who believe the protection of the rule of law is paramount to sustaining our democracy,” Paye said.

“When the Supreme Court ruled regarding to the bill of information filed by the speaker of the house of Representative, Hon. J. Fonati Koffa, and that his speakership has been reaffirmed, the movement for Economic and Empowerment issued a statement and commended the Supreme Court for such ruling,” the indicated. “That is why we were terribly saddened and troubled by the position emanating from the president of the Republic of Liberia, Mr. Joseph N. Boakai. We believe the position of president Joseph N. Boakai is in violation of article 65 of the Liberian constitution.”

He said the point is, when the Supreme Court ruled, no other branch of government, including the executive headed by the president to review or do further interpretation to the Supreme Court ruling.

Paye asserted that by the ruling of the High Court, President Boakai should by now be withdrawing all security details from Mr. Richard Koon who is a representative of district #11 of Montserrado county and not the speaker of the house of the representatives.

By the ruling of the Supreme Court, he said, Mr. Koon should no longer be flying with security detail and sirens, but the fact that the president is not withdrawing all of the security details and all others immunities entitled to the speaker, it was clear the president was not acting consistent with constitutional order.

“It’s in that vein, we have come from the Movement of Economic Empowerment, the young folks, with the rest of the opposition political parties, to say, ‘enough is enough’. It’s time for us to rise up to ensure that adherence to the rule of law is not an option; it’s not negotiable. It is mandatory. And we are prepared to join any action that will keep the President in compliance.”

CMC’s James Yogee: “The Law is the Law!”

Also on hand to deliver a fiery statement was the Chairman of Citizens Movement for Change, Mr. James Yogee, who said he was present in the assembly of Liberians “to join our friends, our brothers and sisters in the opposition, because we believe in the unity of purpose, and that the CMC is building on the principle and the respect of the rules of law”.

“As we always say ‘the law is the law’ and so our commitment is to upholding the rules of law in this country – something we cannot allow anyone to temper with,” he averred.

He said the CMC believes that the government has gone too far from the rules of law, adding: “We can have no good governance and so for our people to have peace, for our people to progress in life, we cannot revert to the jungle justice or exalting of one powerful man in the country.

Mr. Togee said the transition that brought Boakai to power was so smooth for him to undermine the goodness and peaceful intent of the Liberian people.

The CMC chairman called on all Liberians to join forces in making the Unity Party government and president Boakai to know that this country is not his alone.

“It’s also ours,” he said. “Thus, let’s come together and take actions that will help the ruling elites learn, and if possible, do the right thing. On behalf of the political leaders of the Citizens Movement of Change, we are committed to this fight. We are committed to this process, and we look forward to your cooperation and collaborations.”