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ADNews-Monrovia: Members of the 55th legislature under the banner “ Majority Bloc” have rejected the Supreme Court’s Opinion and ruling to allow Speaker J. Fonati Koffa to continue his role as speaker of the 55th legislature.
On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the Supreme Court of Liberia brought to rest the long-standing legal battle among the members of the 55th Legislature, where the legitimate Speaker Koffa has been prevented from functioning, which the Court termed as unconstitutional and illegal.
Few hours after the Supreme Court ruled against the self-styled “Majority Bloc” in the bill of information filed against the group by Koffa’s legal team in the Capitol Building impasse, the leadership of the Bloc vow that, under no circumstance shall Plenary allow Speaker Koffa to preside over any Sitting or Meeting of the House of Representatives.
The group rejected the Court ruling in the strongest terms, characterizing it as an atrocious and audacious violation of the SEPRATION OF POWER doctrine and attempting to dictate to the Honorable House of Representatives of who shall be its Speaker emphasizing that the 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; which is most unfortunate, but warranted under the circumstances.
According to them, Koffa was duly removed from the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives while Montserrado District # 11 Representative, Richard Nagbe Koon, Sr. was elected and inducted into office as Speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to Rule 10.1 of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
“The Leadership of the House of Representatives, acting by and between me, the undersigned, Honorable Richard Nagbe Koon, Sr.. Speaker of the House of Representatives, rejects in the strongest term the Judgment of the Supreme Court that Former Speaker Kol¥a continues to be Speaker of the House of Representatives even though he was removed from that Office by a Resolution signed by fifty (50) members of the House of Representatives in full compliance with Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and Rule a) of the Rules of the House of Representatives, which separately requires that a Speaker, Deputy Speaker and any other elected officers of the House of Representatives shall be removed from office by a resolution of two-third (%) of the entire membership of the House of Representatives, which is forty-nine (49) of the seventy-three (73) members of the House of Representatives. It should be recalled that Hon. Koffa was removed from the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives for reason of corruption, conflict of interest and mismanagement, which are prohibited by Article 90 of the Constitution and Rules 44 and 45 of the House of Representatives; and he was granted due process consistent with the 2007 Opinion of the Supreme Court in the case, Snowe v. House of Representatives. It should also be recalled that no member of the House of Representatives, who signed the Resolution for the removal of Hon. Koffa from the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives, ever filed a motion for reconsideration of that decision, as is provided for by Rule 17.4(q) of the Rules of the House. As such, this Resolution shall remain part of the records of the House of Representatives and no opinion or judgment of the Representatives, who signed the Resolution for the removal of Hon. Koffa from the Office of Speaker of the House of Representatives, ever filed a motion for reconsideration of that decision, as is provided for by Rule 17.4(q) of the Rules of the House. As such, this Resolution shall remain part of the records of the House of Representatives and no opinion or judgment of the Supreme Court can or will expunge or erase this Resolution from the annals of the House of Representatives,” Majority Bloc Stated.
In its latest opinion, the Court ruled that the actions of Representative Koon and his allies were “null and void,” directly contravening its earlier decision. The justices described the group’s conduct as an “unlawful usurpation of leadership” and issued a stern warning against the legislative branch ignoring or attempting to reinterpret judicial decisions.
“Any sitting or action by the ‘Majority Bloc to the exclusion of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa is unconstitutional and without the pale of the law,” the Court stated. The majority bloc is hereby mandated to operate in the interpretation of the constitution as stated by the Supreme Court.”
Koffa, responding to the ruling, described the judgment as “a restoration of legislative order and a reaffirmation of constitutional governance.” He reiterated his commitment to presiding over the House with transparency and in full accordance with the law.
The Court’s intervention underlines the role of the judiciary as the final arbiter of constitutional interpretation, particularly when political rivalries risk undermining institutional integrity.
More than a legal verdict, it is a reminder that in a constitutional democracy, no bloc or majority is above the rule of law.
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