Monrovia — With only six days left until the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the current Deputy Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, a member of the outgoing government, has been actively campaigning to secure the position and has made significant strides. However, he now faces early indications of support from the President-elect for Rep. Richard Koon, his arch-rival in the race.
President-elect Joseph Boakai has invited all members of the House of Representatives to his Rehab residence for a meeting. This meeting comes amid widespread speculation that the President-elect has allegedly threatened members of the House, stating that they would not receive any development funds for their district if they failed to vote for Rep. Koon. It is also speculated that President-elect Boakai further threatened that he will deny lawmakers access to him if they do not vote for Rep. Koon as Speaker.
Mr. Mo Ali, the Director of Political Affairs in the Office of the President-elect, told FrontPageAfrica that these speculations are unfounded. According to him, the invitation for today's meeting was extended to all lawmakers.
However, when contacted for comments, Deputy Speaker Koffa told FrontPageAfrica that he had not received any invitation from the President-elect for today's meeting. However, he confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that he had a meeting with Boakai on his invitation on Sunday.
Last December, Deputy Speaker Koffa garnered support from 42 of the 73 lawmakers who signed a petition to endorse him as the Speaker of the 55th Legislature.
"We, the undersigned Representatives hereby declare Representative Jonathan Fonati Koffa as Speaker of the House of Representatives and urge our fellow Representatives to support this resolution as a demonstration of our shared commitment to fostering effective and principled leadership within the 55th House of Representatives," the lawmakers said in the resolution they signed in affirmation of their support for Rep. Koffa.
In the House of Representatives, the CDC has 25 lawmakers, independent candidates are 18, while the Unity Party has 10 lawmakers. The remainder is spread across the CPP, MDR, LINU, ALICOP, among others.
The Deputy Speaker's influential standing and legal expertise have significantly enhanced his sway, both nationally and internationally. In July last year, Cllr. Koffa graced the cover of the African Leadership Magazine's July edition, recognized as the "Outstanding African for the Month of July." The magazine lauded his legislative excellence, attributing his works to making a positive impact in Liberia.
During the presentation of his official portrait on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, Samuel Moses Elaikwu, General Manager of African Leadership Organization in the UK and publisher of the magazine, praised Deputy Speaker Koffa's exceptional performance in legislative leadership. Elaikwu emphasized that Koffa's visionary initiatives have been a source of hope for marginalized sections of the Liberian populace. Notably, the Deputy Speaker has been at the forefront of advocating for increased women's representation in Liberia. According to Mr. Elaiku, Koffa's thoughtful leadership has not only brought pride to Liberia but also to the entire African continent.
Koffa's noteworthy role in prosecuting Sable Mining during the Sirleaf Administration, despite facing setbacks with the subsequent acquittal of the accused, marked a pivotal moment in Liberia's legal landscape. His recent endorsement by the CDC, triumphing over internal rival Representative Thomas Fallah, solidifies his support base and positions him as a formidable candidate.
His critics say that as speaker from the opposition party, Koffa will use his gavel to stall most of the incoming administration's legislative agenda. But appearing on Bana FM on Thursday, Rep. Koffa debunked his critics' claims. "I am not an obstructionist. I was Madam Sirleaf's anti-corruption czar in this country. I fought corruption. So, to say the President will bring an anti-corruption bill, and because I am a CDCian, or because I am an opposition speaker, so I am going to obstruct it, it doesn't make sense... The country is divided, the elections were close. We have to build a unity team to move this country forward, and that is what I look forward to," he said.
He said most of the negative things that are said against him are speculative. Liberian politics, he added, is not divided on ideological lines, and almost all of the political parties have the same common interest, and as such, it will be impossible to act in favor of his party at the detriment of the state. "There is no pathway that I see that will lead me to act out of the interest of Liberia on behalf of a party given that everything else you hear is all politics," added. "Everything that you hear is all politics. The very same people who used to say last year that Koffa is an able legislator, Koffa cuts across are the same people now accusing me of being partisan of the CDC. There is nothing like a CDC Speaker. There may be a Speaker who happens to be a member of the CDC. I will not be a CDC Speaker. I will be a Speaker of the Republic of Liberia who happens to be a CDCian."
Representative Koon, on the other hand, is a Unity Party lawmaker, who was reelected during the October 10, 2023, presidential and legislative elections.
As a candidate, he says if he's elected, he will slash the Speaker's annual budget of $2.5 million by 20 percent. Rep. Koon of President-elect Joseph Boakai's Unity Party says some of that money can be used to meet the needs of members and their constituents. "Members' welfare needs to be prioritized by decreasing the US$2.5 million speaker's budget by 20% and transferring it to colleagues' budget line for their smooth operation. "Our staff welfare will be our priority, and so a portion of the cut will go towards them". Representative Koon told the Voice of America's DayBreak Africa that if elected, he will initiate reforms for the purpose of restoring the lost image of that legislative body. At the same time, the Montserrado County District #11 lawmaker said he envisions a much more legislative body that promotes accountability and transparency. But his candidature is also marred by speculations that he is expected to be the stooge of the President if he is elected as Speaker. As the impending transition to President-elect Joseph N. Boakai's administration approaches, Boakai seems to be solidifying his grip on absolute power, especially with the Legislature. His endorsement of Koon, according to pundits, mirrors the Unity Party alliance and represents a united endeavor to synchronize legislative initiatives with the President's vision.
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For some, the President-elect's invitation to members of the House is a devised thorough strategy that involves assigning committees, implementing projects in various electoral districts, and promoting social development initiatives--all aimed at influencing lawmakers to support Richard Nagbe Koon.
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