Monrovia, Liberia – April 26, 2025 – Liberia’s deepening political crisis has reached a critical juncture as the self-proclaimed Majority Bloc of the House of Representatives, led by Representative Richard Nagbe Koon, has officially petitioned the Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling that invalidated their legislative actions. This legal challenge sets the stage for a potential constitutional showdown, with the opposition threatening mass resistance if the Supreme Court’s decision is disregarded.
The petition, filed on Friday and backed by prominent legal figures Cllr. Varney Sherman and Cllr. Albert Sims, seeks to overturn the Supreme Court’s April 23 decision, which declared all legislative proceedings conducted without Speaker J. Fonati Koffa as unconstitutional. The Court’s ruling has cast a legal shadow over key decisions made by the Koon faction, notably the enactment of the 2025 National Budget.
In their submission, the petitioners argue that Speaker Koffa was lawfully removed through a resolution supported by more than two-thirds of the House, citing Article 49 of the Constitution and the House’s Standing Rules. They further contend that the Court overlooked crucial details, including the lack of a quorum on Speaker Koffa’s side and alleged obstruction that forced them to convene sessions in the Joint Chambers.
“The Court’s ruling focused narrowly on the venue of our session, while ignoring the legitimacy and support behind our actions,” Representative Koon reiterated, emphasizing their belief in exercising their constitutional rights.
The escalating dispute has transcended legal boundaries, sparking widespread political and public debate. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, in a national address on Thursday evening, appeared to lend support to the Koon bloc, referring to them as a “functioning quorum” essential for ensuring government continuity.
“Liberia cannot afford institutional paralysis,” President Boakai asserted, affirming his commitment to upholding the constitutional definition of a quorum to maintain government functionality.
However, President Boakai’s comments ignited immediate backlash from the opposition, who accused him of defying the Supreme Court’s authority and undermining judicial independence. On Friday, four opposition parties—the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Alternative National Congress (ANC), Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), and Citizens Movement for Change (CMC)—held a joint press conference, demanding the President retract his statement by Tuesday or face mass resistance.
The CDC Council of Patriots (CDC-CoP) and political advocacy group STAND, led by Mulbah Morlu, also joined the opposition’s chorus, threatening civil unrest if the Court’s decision is ignored. Though several senior political figures were absent, the presence of prominent individuals such as former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and former Montserrado lawmaker Acarous Moses Gray underscored the gravity of the opposition’s warning.
With the judiciary, legislature, and executive seemingly on a collision course, Liberia faces a critical test of its democratic institutions. As the Supreme Court reviews the petition for reargument, tensions remain high, with the opposition’s Tuesday deadline rapidly approaching, signaling a potentially volatile period for the nation.
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