Published: November 5, 2025
Zoweita, Bong County – House Speaker Richard Koon publicly confessed recently that he was not the legitimate Speaker of the House of Representatives during the months-long impasse that crippled the functions of Liberia’s lower chamber earlier this year.
Speaker Koon made the confession at the dedication of a pipe-borne water project in Bong County’s District #1—an initiative spearheaded by Representative Prince Koinah.
He said the power struggle at the Legislature was a fight for legitimacy, raising concerns that his previous claim to the speakership was self-proclaimed.
“We had our own little struggle at the House. We were struggling to gain legitimacy,” Koon admitted, acknowledging the prolonged crisis that divided the House into rival factions.
During the political standoff, Koon and his majority bloc had insisted that he was their rightful Speaker and began holding parallel sessions, rejecting the authority of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, who had been duly elected by the 55th Legislature. The dispute effectively paralyzed legislative operations for several months, prompting Speaker Koffa to seek intervention from the Supreme Court of Liberia. The Court ruled that the actions of Koon and his bloc were ultra vires—beyond their legal authority—and reaffirmed Koffa as the legitimate Speaker but also noted that his lack of quorum meant nothing legal to conduct business.
Despite the Court’s ruling, Koon’s faction continued to defy the decision, accusing the Judiciary of overstepping its bounds and claiming loss of confidence in Koffa’s leadership. The impasse persisted until Koffa’s legal team filed a Bill of Information seeking the Court’s enforcement of its earlier judgment.
During a March 26 hearing, the Supreme Court—led by the then Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh—declared all legislative actions taken by Koon’s bloc null and void, emphasizing that the Speaker’s removal must comply with Article 33 of the Constitution, which requires the Speaker’s presence and a legitimate quorum of 49 Lawmakers to conduct House business.
Koon’s recent confession has reignited political debate and public discussion about accountability and respect for judicial authority in Liberia’s fragile democracy.
At the same event, Hon. Koon commended Representative Prince Koinah for implementing the water project, calling on other lawmakers to prioritize tangible development initiatives for their constituents. Meanwhile, Bong County Senator Prince Moye, who had previously referred to Koon as “Speaker,” reacted lightheartedly, saying, ”I knew Hon. Koon could be Speaker one day.” Observers say Koon’s admission marks a rare moment of political humility following one of the most contentious leadership crises in Liberia’s recent legislative history.
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