Liberia’s Majority Bloc Names Koon as Speaker Amid Koffa’s Supreme Court Challenge

Liberia's Majority Bloc Names Koon as Speaker Amid Koffa's Supreme Court Challenge

Liberia’s Majority Bloc Names Koon as Speaker Amid Koffa’s Supreme Court Challenge

In Liberia, a breakaway group of lawmakers at the House of Representatives has controversially elected Montserrado County Representative Richard Koon as Speaker, amid a legal challenge from Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa at the Supreme Court.

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The majority bloc gathered in the joint chamber of the Legislature on November 21, 2024, and declared the Speaker’s seat vacant, subsequently electing Koon as Speaker.

The bloc stated that their decision resulted from dissatisfaction with Koffa’s leadership and his alleged failure to address their concerns. Shortly after the election, the bloc instructed the House’s clerical staff to notify key stakeholders, including the Executive Branch, Judiciary, Senate, and Liberia’s diplomatic community, of the change in leadership.

In a resolution passed during the session, the majority bloc called upon the Executive to strip Koffa of all privileges and entitlements associated with the Speakership, including official vehicles and security details, and transfer them to Koon. Additionally, they issued a one-week ultimatum for Koffa to vacate the Speaker’s office.