Monrovia — A brewing coup in the Capitol? House Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, faces potential ouster as lawmakers are reportedly rallying signatures secretly. Amidst undisclosed motives, whispers of recent audits and revamped budget measures are fueling the dissent.
Interestingly, some members from the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), of which the Speaker is a member, are also involved in the plot. This has sparked tension within the party, as the standard-bearer, former President George Weah, has expressed outrage over the scheme. Former Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel D. Tweah, Jr., has also threatened to suspend his party membership if CDC lawmakers sign any document intending to remove Cllr. Koffa.
Last week, Atty. Alexander V. S. Saylee, the Montserrado County Chairman for the CDC, openly criticized the party's support for Koffa as Speaker. Saylee argued that endorsing Koffa represents a significant misalignment with the CDC's core principles and objectives. His condemnation followed a recent townhall meeting where Speaker Koffa engaged with scores of Liberians in the diaspora, an event that reportedly bolstered his standing within the party.
Despite the positive reception at the townhall, Saylee launched a fierce attack on Koffa, accusing him--without offering evidence--of prioritizing personal gain over the party's collective goals.
Some CDC members, who prefer to remain anonymous, speculate that Saylee's stance may be driven by internal party rifts, including concerns that Speaker Koffa is eyeing the presidency, considering his increasing influence both in Liberia and abroad.
Sources familiar with the situation suggest that Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah might be motivating Saylee's outrage against Koffa. While the Liberian Investigator could not obtain comments from the Deputy Speaker, it is believed that Koffa's insistence on auditing the House has sparked significant discontent among some key members, who are staunchly opposed to the audit's potential outcomes.
"It's likely that Thomas Fallah, the former chair on Ways, Means, and Finance, could be implicated in the audit report, which would have a devastating effect on his political image. The Vice President, Jeremiah Koung, and former Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay are also likely to be implicated. They're afraid of the audit; that's why they want to remove the Speaker," a source explained.
The audit report, the first of its kind for the House of Representatives in post-war Liberia, is expected to be released by the end of October, according to The Liberian Investigator.
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Other lawmakers, speaking anonymously, added that besides commissioning an audit, Koffa has been particularly stringent on the budget process, a move interpreted as an attempt to expose his colleagues. "For me, I support Koffa. Our colleagues are upset because he tightened the budget process. There's no way to manipulate the budget anymore, and so they're angry. They say he won't preside over the next budget. That's why they want to get rid of him, but we are here to ensure that it doesn't happen," one lawmaker stated.
The lawmaker preferred to remain anonymous because those aiming to remove Koffa believe he is on their side, which has given him insight into their strategies.
"Look, this is politics; you have to be shrewd. We'll attend their meetings and answer their calls, but we won't let evil persist," he added.
He mentioned that some lawmakers, both from the ruling party and the opposition, fear that Speaker Koffa could become too influential and might emerge as a formidable presidential contender in 2029.
Some legislative staffers who support the removal process have expressed concerns about recent extra sittings. According to some staff interviewed by The Liberian Investigator, the Speaker only paid them 40 percent of the intended allowance for House operations while the Senate staff received their full payment.
However, The Liberian Investigator learned that while the wage bill for the House of Representatives stands at US$1.5 million, the House only received US$900,000. Consequently, the leadership decided that staff would receive 40 percent of this amount as an allowance, with lawmakers receiving the remaining 60 percent. "Compared to the Senate, Senate staffers received full payment because the Senate is a smaller body and their allotment adequately covered everyone," a source lamented.
