By Sulaiman Jalloh
Following the resignation of Hon. J. Fonati Koffa as Speaker of the 55th Legislature, members of the House of Representatives elected Montserrado County District Representative Richard Nagbe Koon as the new Speaker on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. This election marks the end of a prolonged legislative stalemate that has disrupted the 55th National Legislature since late 2024.
Hon. Richard Nagbe Koon, a lawmaker from the ruling Unity Party and a key figure in the Majority Bloc, secured the Speakership with 40 votes, comfortably defeating his main rival, Hon. Musa Hassan Bility, who received 26 votes a margin of 14 votes.
The resignation of Hon. J. Fonati Koffa comes after seven months of political turmoil within the Legislature, stemming from a power struggle between the majority bloc led by Koon and the minority bloc headed by Koffa. This conflict effectively paralyzed the House, sparking nationwide calls for legislative stability.
In April 2025, the Supreme Court of Liberia reaffirmed its November 2024 ruling through a Bill of Information hearing, helping to clarify the leadership dispute that had fractured the House and deepened the crisis, in his maiden speech following his election, Speaker Koon expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their trust and pledged to deliver a full victory address in the next session.
Shortly after his swearing-in, Speaker Koon appointed members to various key committees, signaling his commitment to organizing and stabilizing the legislative body. Observers hope that this leadership change will restore the Legislature’s functions and resolve the months-long impasse on Capitol Hill, the legislative crisis began shortly after the new lawmakers were sworn in and was fueled by rival factions each claiming legitimacy, operating in parallel. The crisis escalated in December 2024 when a fire partially damaged the Capitol’s joint chambers, adding a physical dimension to the already fragile political situation.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Friday, May 19th, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
