Members of the House of Representatives have voted to take action against embattled Speaker-Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa by forcefully evicting him from the office he currently occupies-a space the majority of the lawmakers say belongs to the new Speaker, Richard Koon.
This decision, initiated by Rep. Austin Taylor of Maryland County, was made following the Speaker's refusal to vacate his office despite calls for him to do so to allow newly elected Speaker Richard Koon to assume his position.
House's plenary decision was triggered by a response from embattled speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, following a WhatsApp message from Rep. James Kolleh, chairman on rules, order and administration regarding the embattled speaker, to vacate Koffa from the office of the speaker and allow newly elected speaker Richard Koon to move in.
Despite ongoing efforts to resolve the situation, including formal communications and consultations with the Justice Minister, Cllr. Koffa remained steadfast in his refusal to comply with the transition of power.
He urged the House Majority Bloc to continue their "illegal takeover" of his office, daring them in a fiery letter to Chief Clerk Mildred Sayon to seize it "the same way they obtained the Speakership -- illegally and with the force of the executive."
The House Committee on Rules, Order and Administration alleged that Koffa had refused to turn over the office to the newly elected Speaker of the majority bloc, Richard Koon.
According to the committee, Koffa's actions have obstructed the smooth transition of power and hindered critical administrative functions.
In his letter to Chief clerk Mildred Siryon, Cllr. Koffa dismissed a communication allegedly sent by Chief Clerk Sayon, which informed him of the plenary's decision to remove him from the office. He described the letter as an unlawful act and accused the Majority Bloc of usurping the authority of elected representatives. "Your letter, purporting to obtain instructions from the plenary, is an unlawful usurpation of the function and authority of the people's elected representatives," Koffa wrote.
He continued: "Please inform those who instructed you to write such a letter that they should obtain office in the same manner as they obtained the speakership - illegally and with the force of the executive. I believe, according to the so-called committee report, the Minister of Justice outlined a pathway to complete the illegal act. I will not respond to anyone further on this issue."
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However, the House Committee on Rules, Orders, and Administration said it had documented multiple efforts to resolve the standoff, including formal communications requesting Koffa to vacate the office and remove his belongings.
The committee highlighted the obstruction caused by Kofa's actions and outlined plans to remove his belongings from the office in the presence of the media and civil society representatives.
The Justice Minister, Cllr. Oswald Tweh was also consulted and initially suggested state security involvement. However, he later advised a five-day ultimatum for Koffa to comply, recommending that if Koffa failed to vacate, his belongings should be removed in the presence of media and civil society representatives.
While the plenary opted not to pursue legal action to evict the embattled Speaker, they plan to physically remove Koffa's belongings and open the office door as a demonstration of their decision. The date for this action is yet to be determined, with indications suggesting it will be carried out within five days of the recent decision.
