ANC POLITICAL LEADER ALEXANDER B. CUMMINGS CONDEMNS HOUSE MOVE TO EXPEL REP. YEKEH KOLUBAH, DECRIES CAMPAIGN AS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH AND VOTER MANDATE
BY: Rufus Divine Brooks Jr.
Monrovia – Alternative National Congress (ANC) Political Leader Alexander B. Cummings has criticized the House of Representatives’ efforts to expel Montserrado County District 10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah, describing the move as hypocritical and undemocratic.
In a social media post Tuesday, the ANC leader said he often disagrees with Rep. Kolubah’s choice of words but argued that free speech is measured by society’s tolerance of speech it finds unsettling.
“Our commitment to free speech is not tested by the words we like, but rather by the words that unsettle us,” he wrote. “That is the true measure of tolerance.”
The House has cited statements made by Kolubah concerning the border as grounds for expulsion.
The ANC leader, however, contended that the push is politically motivated and stems from Kolubah’s vocal opposition to the administration he helped bring to power.
“We cannot use an isolated comment on this border issue, tie it with a ribbon of treason to get rid of a voice we do not like,” the statement read.
He noted that Kolubah’s confrontational style was previously tolerated during the CDC-led administration, when the lawmaker served as a prominent critic.
“Today, under the Unity Party led government, his remarks are suddenly grounds for expulsion.
That is the height of hypocrisy,” he said. “The same firebrand politics once defended cannot now be condemned simply because they target the current regime.”
The ANC leader argued that expelling Kolubah is not justified and would set a dangerous precedent for free expression in Liberia.
He said the lawmaker’s voice, however uncompromising, remains part of the country’s democratic fabric.
“To punish him now sends a message that free speech is tolerated only when convenient, and silenced when uncomfortable.
That is not democracy. It is a double standard we should not accept.”
He also distinguished Kolubah’s case from previous contempt matters, stating it does not amount to contempt of the Legislature or the courts.
Instead, he described the expulsion effort as an encroachment on the electorate’s authority.
Thousands of voters in District 10 elected Kolubah in 2023 to serve a six-year term, he said, and while the House holds the power to expel a member, such authority should not be exercised loosely or as a tool for vengeance.
Beyond the political implications, the ANC leader warned of financial consequences.
Expelling Kolubah would trigger a by-election at a time when public funds could be directed toward healthcare, education, and safe drinking water.
“Expelling Yekeh will not change the price of gasoline, nor will it make LEC stable.
It will not reduce the price of goods and services nor will it create farm to market roads,” he wrote.
“It will only soothe some egos, cost taxpayers more money and further undermine our young democracy.”
He urged members of the House pursuing the expulsion to redirect their focus to issues that benefit citizens.
