In response to calls for Speaker Koffa’s resignation, concerned citizens have rallied to defend him, urging those demanding his resignation to redirect their grievances towards the Justice Minister. They argue that the Justice Minister misled both the executive and the senate into engaging with lawmakers who violated the law. The Justice Minister claims that the Supreme Court ruled all actions by the self-styled majority bloc were lawful, despite the Supreme Court’s opinion stating otherwise.
According to the Supreme Court, the actions of the majority bloc members who gathered in the joint chamber violated Article 49 of the Constitution and Rule 10 of the House Rules. Article 49 designates the Speaker as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, with a constitutional mandate to ensure its proper functioning. This means no member can unilaterally decide where to hold a session without the Speaker’s approval. Therefore, the sessions held in the joint chamber by members of the House of Representatives were deemed illegal. Rule 10 establishes that the Speaker is the principal officer of the House, responsible for calling, convening, and presiding over all sessions. This reinforces Article 49 by clarifying that as long as the Speaker is present and capable, they are legally required to call, convene, and preside over all sessions. No member of the House of Representatives can call, convene, or preside over sessions without the Speaker’s authorization, except in cases where the Speaker has declined for valid reasons. In such instances, the Deputy Speaker or other designated members may assume these responsibilities.
“Speaker Koffa is not resigning for any peace’s sake,” one citizen declared. “He is not the only one charged with the responsibility to keep the peace; all 105 elected officials share that responsibility. For peace’s sake too, let the president tell his Justice Minister to resign for misinterpreting the Supreme Court ruling. For peace’s sake too, let President Boakai ask those lawmakers who violated our law to honor the court’s opinion and return to the main chamber and do the people’s work.”
Supporters emphasize that Speaker Koffa has upheld the law and should not be the one to step aside. “The Speaker stood by the law, and the law stood by him. Why must he step aside for a group of people who violated the very law they took an oath to protect? They should be the ones resigning for violating the law of the state, not Speaker Koffa, who respected the law.”
In a resolute statement, citizens vowed to protect Speaker Koffa by any means necessary, underscoring their commitment to his leadership and adherence to the law.
Meanwhile, Concerned Citizens have informed the public about their plan to protest to ensure Speaker Koffa’s position as Speaker and that all lawmakers adhere to the court’s opinion. They emphasized that those seeking to remove him should follow the proper legal process rather than resorting to illegal methods.
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