Monrovia — Former President George Manneh Weah, in a statement issued on Thursday, accused the Unity Party-led government under President Joseph Boakai of using "ill-gotten funds" from national coffers to influence what he described as an "unjust removal" of House Speaker, Honorable J. Fonati Koffa. The former President and political leader of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) alleged that these actions threatened Liberia's democratic institutions and constitutional integrity.
"This blatant act of political chicanery not only threatens the integrity of our constitutional legislative process but also sets a dangerous precedent for governance in our beloved nation," Weah stated. He stated that the maneuvers to manipulate the legislative branch for partisan gain represented a direct affront to the principles of democracy and the will of the Liberian people.
Weah's statement comes amidst a heated confrontation in the Liberian House of Representatives where Representative Marvin Cole locked the chambers' doors, preventing Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah from presiding over the session. Cole, a staunch ally of Speaker Koffa, accused Fallah of criminal intentions towards the legislative body. "You're a big rogue, you think we'll sit down here for you to play with our lives, we'll never do it," shouted Cole during the tense standoff, threatening regrettable consequences should Fallah attempt to force entry into the chambers.
There have been rumors of a brewing coup in the Capitol, with some members of the House reportedly gathering signatures in a bid to oust Speaker Koffa. The motivations behind this movement remain unclear, though recent audits and stringent budget measures instituted by Speaker Koffa are thought to be factors influencing the dissent.
Interestingly, the involved parties, including Cole, Fallah, and Koffa, are all members of the former ruling party, CDC, which has further complicated the intra-party dynamics. Former President Weah's condemnation underscores significant internal party rifts, with some members potentially swayed by incentives to support the ousting of Speaker Koffa. Samuel D. Tweah Jr., a former Minister of Finance and Development Planning, has even threatened to suspend his party membership should any CDC lawmakers support the initiative to remove Koffa.
Sources close to the situation suggest that Deputy Speaker Fallah might be spearheading the move against Koffa, motivated by fears that an ongoing audit of the House could expose financial irregularities and mismanagement, potentially tarnishing several political careers, including his own. Fallah previously chaired the committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, which is under scrutiny in the audit.
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The audit, unprecedented in post-war Liberia's legislative history, is expected to reveal insights into House operations that could implicate several high-profile figures, including the Deputy Speaker, Vice President Jeremiah Koung and former Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay.
Also, reforms implemented by Koffa, particularly in the budget process, are seen as attempts to curb the historical manipulation of budget allocations, which has led to widespread frustration among lawmakers who perceive these actions as a direct threat to their political survival. An anonymous lawmaker supportive of Koffa stated, "Our colleagues are upset because he tightened the budget process. There's no way to manipulate the budget anymore, and so they're angry."
