Liberia Majority Bloc Declares Koon Speaker As Koffa Fights Back in Supreme Court

Liberian Observer

Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah (back) and Speaker Fonati Koffa (front)

22 November 2024

The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)

By Lennart Dodoo

Monrovia — Amid a legal challenge from Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa at the Supreme Court, the breakaway group of lawmakers at the House of Representatives has controversially elected Montserrado County Representative Richard Koon as Speaker.

The majority bloc convened in the joint chamber of the Legislature on November 21, 2024, declaring the Speaker's seat vacant before electing Koon as Speaker. According to the bloc, their decision stemmed from dissatisfaction with Koffa's leadership and his alleged failure to address their concerns. Shortly after the election, the bloc instructed the House's clerical staff to notify key stakeholders, including the Executive Branch, Judiciary, Senate, and Liberia's diplomatic community, of the leadership change.

In a resolution passed during the session, the majority bloc called on the Executive to strip Koffa of all amenities associated with the Speakership, including official vehicles, security, and other entitlements, and transfer them to Koon. Additionally, they issued a one-week ultimatum for Koffa to vacate the Speaker's office.

Speaker Koffa has dismissed the majority bloc's actions as invalid, asserting that they lack the constitutional authority to remove him from office. Taking to Facebook shortly after the session, Koffa stated, "Nothing has happened," signaling his intent to disregard the election of Koon and maintain his position.

Koffa's loyalists have condemned the majority bloc's actions, describing them as a "mockery of democracy" and a violation of the Constitution and the House's Standing Rules. They vowed to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court, which is already reviewing a petition filed by Koffa's legal team to address what they describe as a "constitutional procedural impasse."

In the petition, dated November 19, 2024, Koffa and his minority bloc accused the majority bloc, led by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, of deliberately boycotting plenary sessions to paralyze the Legislature. The petitioners argued that this boycott has prevented the House from achieving the quorum required under Article 33 of the Liberian Constitution to conduct official business, including the passage of the 2025 National Budget.

"The respondents' refusal to attend duly convened legislative sessions of the Plenary of the House of Representatives has impeded, obstructed, and prevented the House's ability to carry out and perform its mandated constitutional and legislative functions, including the enactment of the national budget into law for the ensuing 2025 financial year," the petitioners stated.

The petitioners have asked the Court to declare the Majority Bloc's refusal to attend plenary sessions as a violation of Article 33 of the Constitution and to compel them to comply with constitutional mandates. They also requested that the petition be forwarded to the Bench en banc, citing the gravity of the constitutional issues at stake.

Several lawmakers who initially signed the resolution to remove Koffa have since rescinded their support, presenting notarized affidavits withdrawing their signatures. These lawmakers include Representatives Matthew Joe (Grand Bassa), Thomas Goshua (Grand Bassa), Priscilla Cooper (Montserrado), Bintu Massalay (Grand Cape Mount), Rugiyatu Barry (Montserrado), and Luther Collins (Gbarpolu).

In his acceptance speech, Koon expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by his colleagues and outlined his vision for a more inclusive and effective Legislature. "Today, we have taken a monumental step toward the change we seek in legislative governance and democratic pluralism within legislative politics," Koon stated.

Acknowledging the challenges facing the House of Representatives, Koon called for collective efforts to address inefficiencies and divisions. He pledged to prioritize transparency, accountability, and modernization in legislative operations.

"My promise to you is simple yet significant. I will lead with a spirit of reform. Together, we will undertake the hard but necessary work of reforming our systems, with transparency and accountability at the core of our interventions," Koon said.

Koon also emphasized the need for collaboration with the Executive Branch to address pressing national issues, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic revival. "We will work with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to ensure that these fundamental issues are addressed as expeditiously as they would be necessary and possible," he said.

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.