“NOTHING HAS HAPPENED” -Rep. Koffa Ignores Majority Bloc, Runs To S/C ‘’I am the duly elected speaker and presiding officer’’ By: Yassah J. Wright

Embattled House Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa says he remains the duly elected Speaker and Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives despite the white-ballot election win of Montserrado County District #11 Representative Richard N. Koon on Thursday, November 21, 2024 as speaker of the House by the majority bloc. Cllr. Koffa, at the same time, has filed a six-count petition for the issuance of the writ of mandamus to the Supreme Court of Liberia against the majority bloc challenging his removal and subsequent replacement by the majority bloc on grounds that the legal process was not followed. A writ of mandamus is a court order that compels a lower court or government official to perform a legal duty or correct an abuse of discretion. The term comes from the Latin word mandamus, which means “we command”. Following the election of Representative Koon as new the Speaker by the majority bloc, embattled Speaker Koffa took to his Facebook page encouraging himself and supporters with these words; ‘’Nothing has happened.” Despite the election of Representative Koon as the new Speaker, Koffa in his writ of mandamus to the Supreme Court contended that he is the duly elected speaker of the House of Representatives of the 55th National Legislature and Presiding Officer. According to him, the majority bloc has refused to attend duly convened legislative sessions of the plenary of the House of Representatives, while attaching a notarized affidavit issued by the Sergeant-At Arms of the House confirming the respondent refusal to attend sessions. He argued that the refusal of the majority bloc to attend sessions have created a constitutional procedure impasse due to a lack of the constitutional quorum required by the Liberian constitution for the House to conduct official business, including the enactment into law of the national budget for the ensuing 2025 fiscal year.

Cllr. Koffa asserted that the action by the majority has raised grave, urgent and pressing constitutional issues which has created a constitutional impasse that requires the immediate attention of and resolution by the bench. ‘’The majority bloc’s failure to attend these sessions is a violation of the Constitution, the Statutory Laws of Liberia and the Standing Rules of the House of Representatives. Their actions violate Article 33 which prevents the plenary from performing legislative duties due to the lack of quorum.  Also, Article 34 of the constitution was violated which gives the House the power to enact laws.  Wherefore, and in view of the foregoing, petitioners respectfully request the court to cause the Alternative writ of mandamus to be issue requiring the majority bloc to attend plenary legislative sessions as mandated by Article 33 of the Constitution of Liberia, Statutory Laws and the House Standing Rules’’ he concluded.