MONTROVIA – As the 55th National Assembly prepares to resume second quarter sessions in May, intense lobbying is underway within the House, with both camps loyal speakers Jonathan Fonaty Coffa and “majority block” speaker Richard Nagbe Kuhn trying to secure a decisive Quorum.
The new political manipulation follows a recent Supreme Court decision in favor of Koffa’s legitimacy and invalid sessions carried out by a Koon-led bloc. However, the official statement that President Joseph Boachey’s administration would work with “all houses that have Quorum” encouraged the Koon factions and strengthened the fight for numbers on the legislative floor.
Sources inside the Capitol have suggested that some lawmakers who previously lined up with Koon are reconsidering their stance in light of the Supreme Court’s decision, suggesting that they could change momentum in favor of Koffa.
Lawmakers near Coffa’s camp are reportedly reaching across the passageway to regain control of the majority of Main Chamber, which lost quorum last October amid a political deadlock.
Despite reports that Koffa may consider resigning, insiders say they are trying to demonstrate that he still orders majority trust before he makes a final decision. His efforts are boosted following the departure of two important figures from Cooncamp. He is now elected to the Liberian Senate, Representative Samuel G. Coger, and Isaac Roland, representative of Maryland County, who is publicly committed to the rule of law.
At a recent press conference at the Capitol Building, Rep. Roland emphasized the constitutional integrity of political alignment.
“I was elected to serve people rather than blindly following the party line. I have failed the Liberian people by abandoning the constitution for personal or political convenience,” he said.
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In addition to the dynamics of the shift, Bonn County District #6 representative Moima Briggs Mensa (speaker of Speaker Cofa) signed a potential breakaway from the “minority block.” Briggsmensa, currently appointed to ECOWAS in the Gambia, has declared his intention to help remove Coffa if he fails to maintain the quorum.
“The failure of Chairman Coffa to spurred the majority on his part would suggest that he lost moral authority over the home,” she said. “It’s time to restore the honor, dignity and severity of the Congress.”
Despite acknowledging the Supreme Court’s decision, Rep. Briggs Mensa argued that her legislative obligations were of paramount importance.
Meanwhile, concerns about alleged financial induction have resurfaced, suggesting that some lawmakers may be using resources to maintain their influence over the Kuhn-led faction. Critics argue that the Boaches’ continued support for the invalid majority bloc is driven by a desire for legislative rule rather than constitutional compliance.
Following the Supreme Court decision, President Boaches Boaches said: “Let me be clear. Under my leadership, the Liberian government will not be held hostage by narrow interests or lawlessness. The governance work will continue.”
Observers believe that the president’s stance is fueling the ongoing division in the House, which has a potential long-term impact on legislative independence and the country’s democratic processes.
As Congress reunites, all eyes are about how lawmakers will reorganize, whether Koffa can regain functional authority, and how both governments will navigate the legal and political influx of the crisis.
