Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai is set to deliver his Annual Message today, in accordance with the Liberian Constitution. Modeled after the United States’ State of the Union address, the event highlights the administration’s achievements and outlines its legislative agenda for the coming year. The address is presided over by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and attended by representatives from the Executive, Judiciary, diplomatic corps, and civil society organizations.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
Fractured Legislature
This year’s address is taking place amidst a fractured Legislature caused by a contentious leadership crisis in the House of Representatives. The crisis began in October 2024, when a group of lawmakers, calling themselves the “Majority Bloc,” launched an effort to remove Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa. The Majority Bloc abandoned the main chamber of the House and began holding sessions in the joint chamber, typically reserved for joint sessions of the House and Senate during major events like the Annual Message.
In the joint chamber, the Majority Bloc, backed by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, declared the Speaker’s position vacant and elected Rep. Richard Nagbe Koon (District 11, Montserrado County) as Speaker. They also dissolved committees established by Speaker Koffa, formed new ones, and suspended seven pro-Koffa lawmakers for three months without salaries and benefits.
The Pro-Koffa group challenged these actions in the Supreme Court, which ruled that any decision outside the bounds of the Constitution is invalid. Both sides claimed victory, but the Majority Bloc, bolstered by support from the Executive and Senate, remains in control of the House. The Pro-Koffa group returned to sessions to avoid further sanctions but filed a lawsuit in the Civil Law Court to declare Rep. Koon’s position and related decisions illegal. The Majority Bloc, in turn, petitioned the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the Supreme Court had already ruled on the matter.
Amid these legal disputes, Rep. Marvin Cole (District 3, Bong County) has called on Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court to boycott President Boakai’s Annual Message.
Speaking on the Spoon Network, Rep. Cole argued that the Supreme Court Justices’ attendance would amount to a tacit endorsement of Rep. Koon as Speaker and compromise their neutrality.
“Once the Supreme Court Justices attend the Annual Message presided over by Rep. Koon, it would mean they are contradicting themselves and engaging in politics instead of upholding the rule of law,” Cole said. “This would undermine the integrity of the Judiciary and suggest that the Justice Minister is the de facto Supreme Court of Liberia.”
Rep. Cole, one of the seven lawmakers suspended by the Majority Bloc, has been directly affected by the crisis. He was removed as Chair of the House Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration by the Majority Bloc and replaced by Rep. James Kolleh (District 2, Bong County).
‘Follow your predecessors’ ‘noble example’
This year’s State of the Nation Address mirrors former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s 2007 Annual Message, which took place during a similar period of infighting within the House of Representatives. Eighteen years ago, the Lower House was embroiled in a crisis when Hon. Edwin Melvin Snowe, Liberia’s first postwar Speaker, was unlawfully removed by a group of lawmakers identifying themselves as the “Majority Bloc.” This group abandoned regular sessions and convened at the Unity Conference Center in Virginia Township, where they began holding their own sessions.
In response, Rep. Snowe and his allies sought redress at the Supreme Court. Under the leadership of the late Chief Justice Johnny Lewis, the Court ruled the Majority Bloc’s actions illegal. However, in what appeared to be a rebuff of the Court’s decision, President Sirleaf delivered her State of the Nation speech before the fractured Legislature at the Unity Conference Center. Speaker Snowe, his supporters, and several senators boycotted the speech, and the Supreme Court justices were notably absent.
Reflecting on this historical precedent, Rep. Marvin Cole stated that while he cannot dictate the Supreme Court’s actions, he expects the justices to follow the “noble example” set by their predecessors 18 years ago by upholding the rule of law over what he termed an “illegal precedent.”
However, Rep. Cole added that if the justices choose to attend this year’s address, he would interpret their presence as tacit approval of Rep. Koon’s leadership. “If the justices attend the State of the Nation Address, I will abandon the fight and recognize Rep. Koon as Speaker,” he stated.
Rule of Law Caucus boycotts SONA
The Pro-Koffa group, now rebranded as the Rule of Law Legislative Caucus, has announced its boycott of the Annual Message. In a statement, the group, led by Chairman Rep. Musa Hassan Bility (District 17, Nimba County), condemned the Executive Branch for recognizing Rep. Koon as Speaker despite the ongoing legal challenge.
“The Executive’s recognition of Honorable Richard N. Koon as Speaker, despite the legitimate Speaker still being in office, is a blatant violation of democratic principles and legislative autonomy,” the statement read. “Attending the Annual Message under such circumstances would amount to tacit approval of this illegitimacy—a position we categorically reject.”
The Caucus also accused authorities of fabricating evidence to suppress their resistance but pledged to continue seeking justice through legal means.
“Our boycott is a symbolic stand against the disregard for legislative integrity and democratic norms. Participating in an event organized by an Executive that flagrantly disregards legislative independence would compromise our integrity and perpetuate this illegality,” the group stated.
The Rule of Law Caucus called on members of the Senate and other lawmakers to join their stand in rejecting actions that undermine Liberia’s democratic institutions. They emphasized that their boycott is a principled stand for justice, legislative independence, and the preservation of democracy.