IPNEWS: —As ECOWAS Parliament Makes 2nd Mediation comeback
IPNEWS: House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa is set to make history after rebels Lawmakers field to get his resignation following series of attempts to force him to resign.
Several Senior Counsels, tell the authoritative Independent Probe that the return of Speaker Koffa is most likely over the continued disrespect by the majority block towards the Supreme court of Liberia.
Last week, LAWYERS representing the Majority block failed to make their returns after the supreme court set the date for hearings into the Bill of Information. Adding insults to injuries, last month, Justice Yamie Gbeisay’s controversial declaration during the February Term of Court Opening in Nimba County, that the Majority Bloc’s decisions were “ultra vires” (beyond their legal powers) due to the failure to elect a recognized Speaker. The ruling shook the foundations of the legislature, with some Majority Bloc members, like Bong County lawmaker Foday Fahnbulleh, dismissing the comments as “liquor talk.”
On the heels of this, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf voiced her concern over the ongoing crisis, urging the Supreme Court to deliver a decisive ruling to prevent further destabilization of the Legislature.
In accordance with this call, Liberia’s Chief Justice, Her Honor, Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh, apologized to Liberians for perceived faulty and biased decisions rendered in high-profile cases, especially political cases.
One such decision is the “ultra vires” opinion expressed in the leadership crisis facing the House of Representatives. The Supreme Court left Liberians in suspense, leaving the Executive to come up with its own interpretation, justifying the illegal replacement of embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa by “Regime Speaker” Richard Nagbe Koon.
She says they are aware that their opinions have been met with criticism and bias, especially in cases involving political actors, while extending sympathy to those affected by their decisions and rulings.
Delivering what she considers her last opening address for the March Term of Court here on Monday, March 10, 2025, at the Supreme Court of Liberia, Chief Justice Yuoh said that at the Supreme Court level, they are tasked with making difficult and contentious decisions in what is wildly referred to as high-profile cases.
According to her, they are deeply aware of the far-reaching impact of their ruling as the Court of last resort while noting that they rely on the law and the Constitution of Liberia as final authorities and guidance, not only for locals and foreigners but also for all conduct of the government and its officials.
“We are aware that our opinions have been met with criticism, oftentimes what I considered bias, particularly in cases where political figures are involved. As we continue this important workout, I extend my deepest sympathy to those who may feel at aggrieved and unsatisfied with our decision. It’s the nature of justice that not all will agree that it’s the truly Constitutional application of the law that will safely guide the integrity of the judicial system. So, to add a little, I say sorry to those of you who are unpleasant”, she says.
Even though the authoritative Independent Probe understand there are several names coming forth for the speakership, however, speculations are high for the reincarnation of Speaker Koffa paving way for the elections of a new speaker. is rampant about who will emerge as the next Speaker of the House, depending on how the court rules.
Meanwhile several sources acknowledgeable about the ongoing negotiation tells IPNEWS that several key players within the legislature are positioning themselves for the Speakership including Nimba County Representative Musa Hasan Bility, including Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, and out of favor majority block Speaker Richard.
Unpeaceable sources within the House of Representative tell IPNEWS that Majority block speaker Richard Koon is currently facing pressure from both within his faction and from outside- becoming increasingly isolated within the Majority Bloc, with report of a serious split into majority bloc — one supporting Koon and the other backing Fallah.
The divisions according to insiders of the Majority Bloc have been exacerbated by Koon’s increasingly controversial actions, such as his self-appointed title as the “regime Speaker” and a recent incident where security guards were called to seize Rep. Yekeh Kolubah’s vehicle.
In a related development ECOWAS is making another attempt to break the deadlock at Liberia’s House of Representative following a failed mission last November 2024 when that body inflame to crisis proportion.
In a dispatch from Abuja, a high-level delegation will arrive in Monrovia on Sunday, March 23, 2025@3:00P.M. hoping to end the impasse that has rocked the House of Representatives and functionaries of government.
Ready in country is speaker J. Fonati Koffa, cutting short his US trip to meet with the delegation at their request. This latest intervention follows the failure of an earlier ECOWAS mission, led by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, the Right Honorable Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, to bridge the divide between warring factions at the Liberia House of Representative. That delegation, which spent nearly a week in Monrovia from November 11 to 16, 2024, was unable to bring pro-Koffa and anti-Koffa forces to a consensus.
It may be recalled a group of rebel lawmakers mostly from the ruling Unity Party, demanding Speaker Koffa’s resignation, vowing never to recognize his authority reverted to an unconventional style of removing Speaker Koffa. However, Koffa has stood his ground, declaring that he will not bow to pressure, following events to withdraw his security detail, burst into his office, including exclusion from majority national events, insisting that all legislative actions must be guided by constitutional principles.
