Montserrado County District 10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah was forcibly removed from a House of Representatives session Monday after defying Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon’s authority. Kolubah continues to reject Nagbe Koon’s election as unconstitutional.
The session, held at the Monrovia City Corporation Hall due to fire damage at the Capitol Building, turned contentious when Kolubah publicly challenged Speaker Koon’s leadership, refusing to acknowledge him as the lawful head of the House. The Sergeant-at-Arms intervened and escorted Kolubah out after his repeated interruptions disrupted proceedings.
“I cannot recognize a Speaker who ascended to power through unconstitutional means,” Kolubah said before his removal, reiterating his vow to boycott all sessions presided over by Koon. Kolubah’s resistance stems from Koon’s election in November 2025 on a white ballot—a process Kolubah claims violated both the Constitution and the House’s procedural rules.
Speaker Koon, who represents Montserrado County District 11, was chosen by the Majority Bloc following the ouster of former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa. Koffa had narrowly defeated Koon in a January 2024 election, but mounting allegations of mismanagement led to his removal. Koon’s subsequent unopposed election has sparked sharp divisions, with critics, including Kolubah, alleging that the process lacked transparency and was orchestrated to serve political interests.
“The election of Speaker Koon was a calculated move that undermines the integrity of this House,” Kolubah argued, calling on his colleagues to respect the Constitution and a recent Supreme Court ruling supporting his position.
The controversy over Koon’s leadership extends beyond Kolubah’s objections. Reports suggest a faction of lawmakers within the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) also harbor reservations about Koon’s election. Sources indicate dissatisfaction with the process has led to waning attendance at key Majority Bloc meetings, with numbers dropping from 50 to 45 lawmakers in recent sessions.
Despite this, Koon’s supporters maintain that his leadership represents an opportunity to stabilize the Legislature following Koffa’s tumultuous tenure.
