Liberia: Koon Rejects Supreme Court Ruling, Declares Koffa’s Speakership Invalid - FrontPageAfrica

Monrovia – Representative Richard Nagbe Koon, the self-declared Speaker of the House of Representatives, has rejected a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that nullified his speakership and reinstated Representative J. Fonati Koffa as the legitimate Speaker of the House.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

In a strongly worded statement issued shortly after the ruling on Wednesday, Rep. Koon described the Court’s judgment as an “atrocious and audacious violation” of the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers. He vowed that the House, under his leadership, would not recognize or adhere to the ruling.

“The Leadership of the House of Representatives, acting by and through me, rejects in the strongest terms the judgment of the Supreme Court that Former Speaker Koffa continues to be Speaker, even though he was removed from that Office by a Resolution signed by fifty (50) members of the House of Representatives,” Rep. Koon stated.

The Supreme Court, in a decision on a Bill of Information filed by Speaker Koffa, ruled that all actions and decisions taken by the Majority Bloc, which had claimed to remove Koffa and installed Koon as Speaker, were unconstitutional. Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, reading the Court’s opinion, emphasized that no sitting of the House could be considered legitimate if the duly elected Speaker was present and not presiding.

Rep. Koon, however, maintained that Koffa was properly removed in accordance with Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and House Rule 9(a), which require a two-thirds majority vote of the House’s total membership for the removal of a Speaker. According to Koon, 50 out of 73 members signed the resolution that ousted Koffa, citing allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, and mismanagement.

“It should be recalled that Hon. Koffa was removed from office for reasons consistent with Article 90 of the Constitution and Rules 44 and 45 of the House,” Koon said, referencing past Supreme Court guidance, including the 2007 Snowe v. House of Representatives decision, which upheld the Legislature’s authority over its internal leadership.

Koon further argued that no lawmaker filed a motion for reconsideration of the resolution removing Koffa, as allowed under House Rule 17.4(q), and therefore, the resolution remains valid and binding.

“No opinion or judgment of the Supreme Court can or will expunge or erase this Resolution from the annals of the House of Representatives,” he said.

He accused the Supreme Court of overstepping its authority by attempting to dictate the internal leadership of the Legislature.

“Plenary shall continue to conduct the business of the House of Representatives without any deference or regard to the Supreme Court’s opinion and judgment,” Koon asserted. “Under no circumstance shall plenary allow Hon. Koffa to preside over any sitting or meeting of the House of Representatives.”

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, Koon declared that the House would proceed with all of its functions, including the enactment of the 2025 National Budget, insisting that all legislative actions would maintain the full force and effect of law.

He concluded by stating that the House is exploring “legal and political recourse” to respond to what he called an intrusion into the internal affairs of the Legislature.

“The House of Representatives shall never succumb to any overreach or intrusion where there is no clear violation of the Constitution,” Koon said. “The Court has today deviated from its age-old standard not to delve into the internal affairs of the First Branch of Government.”

Koon’s remarks echoed sentiments expressed by some members of the Majority Bloc. Speaking shortly after the ruling, Representative James Kolleh (District #2, Bong County) strongly denounced the Court’s decision and warned that the Bloc-controlled House could consider initiating impeachment proceedings against the justices of the Supreme Court for allegedly exceeding their constitutional authority.

The Liberian public had hoped that a clear and definitive ruling from the Supreme Court would resolve the months-long leadership crisis that has paralyzed legislative functions and undermined public confidence in the House of Representatives.