— With their simple majority, anti-Koffa House members are attempting to corner ranking members and further isolate Speaker Koffa.
The political drama at the Capitol in Monrovia continues to unveil many surprises as efforts to oust House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa intensify. The latest move by those seeking the Speaker’s removal, is contained in a letter demanding the presence of Thomas Fallah, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, at Thursday’s Session or stand prepared, like Koffa, to cease being Deputy Speaker.
The letter, signed by James Toubie, Acting Chief Clerk, “on behalf of the Majority members of the House of Representatives, notified Fallah of the need for his presence. Toubie’s letter was premised on the House’s rule #8 as well as Article 33 of the Liberian Constitution, both of which affirm that a simple majority is legally allowed to proceed with normal legislative business.
Fallah is the Representative for Lofa County Electoral District #1 and is a supporter of embattled Speaker Koffa, although he (Fallah) was at a point in time recently accused of being one of the masterminds behind the plot seeking to bring Koffa down from the House’s Speaker position.
“By directive of the majority members of the House of Representatives, we write to inform you of a resolution signed by the majority lawmakers, which affirms the Speaker, J. Fonati Koffa has lost the trust and confidence of the majority of House members,” says the letter, copy of which is in the
possession of the Daily Observer.
According to the majority membership of the lawmakers, Koffa has lost the confidence reposed in him when he was elected Speaker and can no longer continue to enjoy the support of the majority — a move that increases the pressure on the Speaker to relinquish his position.
“As such, a session of the House of Representatives has been duly convened in the joint Chamber of the Legislature. In line with the mandate of the majority members in legislative assembly, we hereby invite you to participate in this session to ensure the effective conduct of business on behalf of the Liberian people. Your prompt attendance and adherence to this directive are critical for upholding the constitutional process and ensuring the uninterrupted service of the House of Representatives,” Toubie informed Fallah.
Although not explicitly indicated in the letter inviting the Deputy Speaker to their session, an unimpeachable source from within the camp of the majority lawmakers told the Liberian Investigator that Fallah would forfeit being Deputy Speaker should he continue to stand with Koffa.
“In accordance with our legislative duties as representatives of the Liberian people, the majority members have invoked the House’s Standing Rules #8 and #12, along with Article 33 of the Liberian Constitution which states, “A simple majority of each house shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business.”
The majority members of the House convened in the Joint Chambers of the Legislature and held their legislative proceedings while embattled Speaker Koffa and his supporters, 30 in number assembled in the main chamber of
the House of Representatives, even though their number fell short of a quorum to conduct any official legislative proceeding.
Representative Clarence Gahr of Margibi County was elected by his colleagues of the majority group to preside over their deliberations. Like any other acceptable official proceeding, a roll call was done with the 43 responding to “present” while 30, including Koffa, were marked absent.
Same roll call was carried out by Koffa’s camp through the Chief Clerk Mildred Sayon but 43 of the total of 73 lawmakers were absent as they were busy with their own session in protest of Koffa’s continuity in leadership.
Koffa has been accused of corruption and conflict of interest, including his alleged legal representation of the interests of people and organizations he ought to hold accountable for wrongdoings should any such come to light.
Both Fallah and Koffa are ranking members of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change of former President George Weah.
The ongoing attempt to oust the Grand Kru County Electoral District #2 Lawmaker is not the first of its kind in Liberian politics as Edwin Snowe (now Senator of Bomi County) and J. Alex Tyler were forced to prematurely step down from their respective terms as Speaker of the House of Representatives during the first and second terms (respectively) of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf presidential administration.
Source: Daily Observer
