Following the ruling on the Bill of Information filed by embattled House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa to the Supreme Court of Liberia, the Grand Kru County legislator has hinted his resignation from the post as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Supreme Court of Liberia on Wednesday, April 23rd, ruled quashing the election of Representative Richard Nagbe Koon as Speaker of the House. At the moment, Rep. Koon, who has been recognized by the Executive Branch and the Liberian Senate, carries himself as the Speaker of the House. In the Court’s ruling on Wednesday, it among also things declared all the legislative actions that have been undertaken by Rep. Koon and his so-called “majority bloc” ‘unconstitutional’.
The decision, handed down today, happened as a result of a legal challenge that stems from a Bill of Information filed by the embattled Speaker, questioning the constitutionality of Koon’s ascension to the Speakership of the House. Koffa accused the controversial House Speaker, Koon, and members of the House who support him, that they willingly violated the Supreme Court’s ruling of December 6, 2024.
Following the Court’s ruling on Wednesday, in which it upheld that Koffa still remains the Speaker of the House despite him being declared removed by majority members of the House of Representatives, Cllr. Koffa told the nation in a social media video that he will reach out to Deputy House Speaker Thomas Fallah and Rep. Richard Koon so that reconciliation can begin.
“I will reach out to Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah and Honorable Richard Koon so that we establish a joint reconciliation and transitional committee. I am not unmindful that reconciliation and progress will require that I make the ultimate sacrifice and I am not unwilling to pay that price,” Speaker Koffa, who is head of the 55th Legislature, said.
He pleaded with his colleagues especially those opposing him that they all need to show the nation how democracy is built.
“To our colleagues on the other side, we identify with your just grievances and call on you to join us and end the stalemate on Capitol Hill. Come let us reason together; in the words of [US] President John F. Kennedy: ‘Remembering on both sides, that civility is not a sign of weakness and sincerity is always subject to prove.’” This legislative impasse has dragged on for months beginning in October 2024 following the President and Speaker Koffa’s return from Italy. Koffa and the President were in Italy when his colleagues plotted and dethroned him from office. And on November 21st, 2024, Koon, who represents the people of Montserrado County in the House, was elected Speaker by members of his Majority bloc. It was the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Thomas Fallah who administered the oath of office for Koon.
