-As Speaker Koffa Resigns and Majority Leader Koon Drops Claim
The legislative impasse involving the majority and the minority blocs at the House of Representatives is now becoming history as leaders of both sides have dropped their claims to the leadership of the lower chamber of the National Legislature, living back the lingering question: Who becomes the next Speaker?
By: Bill K. Jarkloh /billkjarkloh@gmail.com
Embattled Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa has resigned his post as Speaker of the 55th Legislature of Liberia while report from the Majority Bloc also has it the Majority Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon has stepped down as well.
In a formal statement issued to the media by the Rule of Law Caucus and signed by its chairman, Representative Musa Hassan Bility, the caucus expressed “deep sadness” over Speaker Koffa’s pending resignation, while unanimously endorsing his decision.
The statement of the resignation comes in response to what the caucus describes as the continuous defiance of the rule of law by the Executive, despite a Supreme Court ruling and its reaffirmation. The caucus believes that this disregard demonstrates the nation is facing a much more alarming constitutional dilemma than the status of the Office of the Speaker itself.
The group further cited the recent loss of a significant number of members who are no longer willing to sit under Speaker Koffa’s gavel, a situation that has made his effectiveness less tenable in preparation for the legislative floor battles expected in the near future.
They also underscored the urgent need to reconstitute the House through elections in accordance with Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution, in order to return the Legislature to constitutional order in the shortest possible time.
Speaker Koffa, who has led the House since January 2024, is widely regarded for his leadership and parliamentary knowledge. His resignation is being seen as a sacrificial gesture in the interest of preserving the constitutional sanctity of the House.
The embattled but legitimate Speaker of the Lower House of Legislature, Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffah yesterday, May 12, 2025 confirmed to the Spoon Talk his resignation, while insiders of the Majority Bloc also divulged news of the resignation of the Bloc’s leaders, regime Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, leaving the Speakership of the Legislature Contestable.
Accordingly, the former Speaker of the House of Representative, Fonati Koffah told the Station that today, May 13, 2025 is set for the contest for Speakership between the Chairman Minority Bloc or Rule of Law Caucus, Nimba County Representative Musa Hassan Bility, and the Majority Bloc leader, Montserrado County Representative Richard N. Koon at the House of Representatives.
With the Speakership opened for election, the Legislature is obviously headed by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah of Lofa County.
Grand Kru County Representative Koffa who resigned the Speakership clarified that he will neither accept any other administrative assignment at the Lower House, nor will he contest any legislative seat in the future after his tenure as Representative of Grand Kru County.
However, Speaker Koffa is requesting from the government the entitlements of the members of Minority Bloc, including that of his office while serving as speaker of the House.
He disclosed he would use the law to ensure that these entitlements denied during the impasse are paid to members of the minority Bloc.
Salary Suspension By Majority Bloc
It can be recalled that the Majority Bloc leadership suspended the December salaries of seven suspended lawmakers which was deposited into the government’s consolidated account, causing embattled House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa to publicly criticize the actions taken by members of the ‘Majority Bloc’ of the House Representatives.
The lawmakers affected by this decision included Hon. Abu Bana Kamara, Sr., Hon. Alex S. Noah, Hon. Edward P. Flomo, Hon. Eugine J.M. Kollie, Hon. Frank S. Foko, Hon. J. Marvin Cole, and Hon. Zinnah Norman.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, December 22, 2024, Speaker Koffa condemned the withholding of their colleagues’ salaries and benefits–and their staffers salaries, questioning the motives behind the Majority’s actions.
He stated, “When they were illegally removing the Speaker, many in the political class said, ‘it’s a numbers game; leave the legality, it’s political, move on.’ Now they have illegally seized the salaries and benefits of their colleagues and staff during the Christmas season. Is this the numbers game too?”
Speaker Koffa further lamented the impact of this decision on families, noting that “scores of families are without Christmas because of this numbers game whose rules are set by the ‘majority.’ Is this the country we want?”
He drew a parallel to a poem from the Holocaust museum, emphasizing the dangers of political oppression and the silence that can accompany it.
In addition to criticizing the salary withholding, Speaker Koffa labeled the Majority Bloc’s recent passage of the 2025 national budget as ultra vires, a legal term meaning actions taken outside constitutional authority. His declaration on Facebook comes amid escalating tensions in the legislature, where a continuing impasse has deepened since a Supreme Court ruling that directed lawmakers to resolve their differences.
But Speaker last night to the Spoon Talk Representative Koffa said all the actions taken by the Majority Bloc were ultra vires and must be rolled back to correct what was wrong.
Supreme Court Rulings
The embattled speaker resigned after the Supreme Court of Liberia ruled , affirming him the Constitutional leader of the Liberian Legislature and that all actions taken by the Majority Bloc were unconstitutional (ultra vires), rulings that sparked debate between supporters of Koffa and his minority bloc on one hand, and supporters of the Majority Bloc on the other.
In reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling President Joseph N. Boakai who acknowledged the ruling and said he would uphold it, however said he will deal with either of the two blocs with quorum, stating that he will not shut the country down on the basis of the ruling.
Pro-government analysts see the President’s stance as patriotic, and noted that it behooves the Speaker Kofa and is Minority Bloc to convince fellow legislators to go under Koffa’s gavel to do legislative business.
To the Contrary, pro-Koffa analysts maintained that the law is the law, and that President Boakai should cease doing business with the Majority Bloc in upholding the ruling of the Constitutional Court which is the final arbiter of justice.
With the Present development occasioned by the resignations of Koon and Koon from their claim to the speakership of the Legislature, the public is keen to knowing what will be the outcome of today’s legislative business at the House of Representative by the joint Majority and Minority Blocs with the questions lingering, who becomes the next speaker – Bility or Koon?
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