IPNEWS: Amid rumors for the resignation of House of Representatives, Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, Cllr. Koffa on Monday officially step down from his role at 12 noon.
Speaking to Journalist following his resignation Speaker Koffa stated that following the ruling of the Supreme Court, and subsequent statement by President Boakai vowing to still work with quorum, the rules of the game changed and he and others that had been upholding the rule of law had to reevaluate the situation taking into consideration several factors by ensuing that none suffer because he had to be speaker.
following months of political turmoil and a widening constitutional crisis in Liberia’s 55th National Legislature. The announcement was confirmed in a statement issued Sunday by the Rule of Law Caucus, a legislative faction that had previously supported Koffa.
Dispelling rumors that he received inducement for his resignation, Cllr. Koffa stated that why it remains a public perception in Liberia that there’s nobody with integrity, yet he and other colleagues had stayed for the past six months without salaries and other benefits but kept their stance.
‘But let me say this for the record, ‘No money exchange hands contrary to the Rescue Propaganda’. Former Speaker Koffa told Journalist.
Over the weekend, the Rule of Law group, led by Representative Musa Hassan Bility, cited persistent defiance of Supreme Court rulings by the Executive Branch, a lessening base of legislative support for Koffa, and the urgent need to restore constitutional order through a new Speaker election under Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution.
“The continuous defiance of the Rule of Law by the Executive despite one Supreme Court ruling and its reaffirmation shows that we are confronted by a much more alarming constitutional dilemma than the Office of the Speaker,” the statement read.
Koffa’s resignation follows weeks of speculation he had previously dismissed as unfounded. In late April, he strongly denied any plans to vacate the Speakership, calling the reports politically driven.
Cllr. Koffa early this morning held a session with members of the Rules of Law that supported his cause stressing his gratitude to his colleagues for being resolute in the defense for the Rule of Law.
The House of Representative is expected to go to elections tomorrow Tuesday, May 13, upon their return at the CAPITOL which is expected to shift the legislative balance of power which has been underrated due to inner confusion at the House of Representative.
Cllr. Koffa furthermore commended his colleagues who defended the rule of law and thanked Liberians both at home and abroad for their moral support during the six months of crisis.
Cllr. Koffa was legally affirmed by the Supreme Court recently, when it ruled that all sessions and decisions taken by the self-styled “Majority Bloc” during his absence were unconstitutional.
In her ruling, Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh emphasized that no session of the House could proceed without the presence or incapacitation of the duly elected Speaker. The court’s decision came in response to a Bill of Information filed by Koffa, who challenged the legitimacy of parallel sessions led by rival lawmakers.
Despite the legal win, Koffa acknowledged the need for compromise in a national address posted to his official Facebook page. “I am not unmindful that reconciliation and progress may require that I make the ultimate sacrifice—and I am not unwilling to pay that price,” he said, pledging to work with Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah and Representative Richard Koon to form a transitional committee aimed at healing divisions within the Legislature.
The legislative impasse began in January 2025, shortly after the inauguration of President Joseph Boakai, and quickly escalated into competing factions, walkouts, and stalled lawmaking.
A bloc of lawmakers, reportedly aligned with the Executive, challenged Koffa’s leadership and held unauthorized sessions, further deepening the crisis.
The Rule of Law Caucus noted that Koffa’s resignation was necessary to end the stalemate and reestablish order. “The loss of a significant number of members willing to sit under the Speaker’s gavel makes his effectiveness less tenable for the incoming floor fight,” the group said.
