MONROVIA – The Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) has signaled its readiness to challenge the government in court over actions it believes undermine the country’s constitutional framework. The association’s newly elected president, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah Sr., made the declaration during his induction ceremony on January 31, 2025, at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town, where he strongly criticized what he described as blatant disregard for the rule of law.
Addressing an audience of legal professionals, government officials, and civil society representatives, Cllr. Varmah warned that Liberia’s democracy is at risk if the government continues to ignore Supreme Court decisions. He emphasized that the LNBA has a duty to intervene whenever constitutional principles are threatened and stated that the association will take necessary legal steps to uphold justice and accountability.
He accused the administration of engaging in practices that weaken judicial independence and diminish public confidence in the legal system. He asserted that allowing such actions to go unchallenged would create a dangerous precedent, undermining Liberia’s democratic progress. According to him, any government that disregards judicial rulings ultimately weakens the institutions meant to protect citizens’ rights.
Cllr. Varmah also laid out his broader agenda for the LNBA, highlighting key areas where he plans to push for reforms. He stressed the importance of strengthening legal education, ensuring equal representation for women in the legal profession, and advocating for policies that promote human rights and civil liberties. He urged legal practitioners to remain vigilant in protecting the integrity of the judiciary, emphasizing that the law must serve every Liberian fairly and impartially.
As part of his critique of the government’s handling of constitutional matters, Cllr. Varmah revisited concerns surrounding the leadership crisis in the House of Representatives. Two days before his induction, he called on the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court to reject their budget allocations if they recognize Richard Nagbe Koon’s speakership, which he and others argue lacks legitimacy. His statement followed the Supreme Court’s absence from President Joseph Boakai’s State of the Nation Address on January 27, 2025, an omission he believes reflects tensions between the judiciary and the executive branch.
The LNBA president made it clear that the legal community would not remain silent as constitutional violations persist. He called on his colleagues to remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the legal system remains a pillar of democracy.
