‘Rule of Law Caucus’ to boycott State of the Nation Address

Published: January 21, 2025

MONROVIA – The Rule of Law Caucus has announced its decision to boycott the upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA), citing what it describes as the Executive branch’s growing encroachment on legislative independence. The caucus made its stance known in a press statement released on Monday.

The group, chaired by Nimba County District 7 Representative Musa Hassan Bility, expressed outrage over the Executive’s recognition of Richard N. Koon as Speaker of the House of Representatives. According to the caucus, this recognition comes despite the presence of a legitimate Speaker whose authority remains intact.

“This is a blatant violation of democratic principles and legislative autonomy,” the statement read. “Attending the SONA under such circumstances would amount to tacit approval of this illegitimacy—a position we categorically reject.”

The Rule of Law Caucus argues that the Executive’s actions undermine the dignity of the Legislature and disregard the judicial process, as the matter remains under review by the courts.

Further fueling the caucus’s frustration is what it describes as recent acts of aggression by law enforcement officers against its members. The statement suggested that attempts are being made to fabricate evidence against members of the caucus as a means to suppress dissent.

The caucus stated that it remains commitment to cooperating with authorities in ongoing investigations, provided the process remains impartial. “We will resist, in the court of law, any attempt to fabricate evidence against our colleagues,” the statement emphasized.

The group has called on members of the Senate and other lawmakers to join them in this act of defiance against what they see as a direct threat to Liberia’s democracy.

“As lawmakers, our constitutional duty is to uphold the sanctity of the Legislature,” the statement noted. “Participating in an event organized by an Executive that flagrantly disregards legislative independence would compromise our integrity and perpetuate this illegality.”