Serious tension erupted at the Capitol Building yesterday between supporters of Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, Speaker of the House of Representatives and some rebel lawmakers seeking his (Koffa) removal.
The situation led to total chaos and heavy confusion in the chamber of the House of Representatives when lawmakers supporting Speaker Koffa prevented Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah from entering the chambers of the House for his alleged involvement in plotting against his boss, Speaker Koffa.
It is also reported that some lawmakers broke the doors of the House's chamber and damaged several items belonging to the Liberian Government as heavy confusion engulfed the chambers of the House.
According to information, as a result of the confusion between the pro and anti Koffa lawmakers, Bong County Representative who is the chair on Rules and Order and Administration of the House, Marvin Cole locked the house Chambers and labels Deputy Speaker Fallah as 'criminal' in the heated clash.
Representative Marvin Cole on Thursday locked the doors to the House's chambers, insisting that Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah would not preside over the day's session.
The altercation between Cole and Fallah occurred as House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa is away in Europe with President Joseph Boakai. Cole was recorded on Thursday berating the Deputy Speaker, labeling him a "criminal" who was jeopardizing the safety and integrity of his colleagues.
"You're a big rogue, you think we'll sit down here for you to play with our lives, we'll never do it," Cole shouted during the tense standoff, warning Fallah of regrettable consequences if he attempted to force entry into the chambers.
This conflict comes amid swirling 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 revamped budget measures instituted by the Speaker are thought to be influencing the dissent.
Representative Cole served as the chairman of the campaign that landed Koffa the Speakership. Interestingly, Cole, Fallah and Koffa are all members of the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
It is alleged that the Deputy Speaker is one of the lawmakers leading the charge for Speaker Koffa's removal. According to sources, there is growing animosity toward Koffa, particularly as Koffa's push for auditing the House could unfavorably expose several key figures, including Fallah, who previously chaired the committee on Ways, Means, and Finance.
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The audit, unprecedented in post-war Liberia's legislative history, is poised to reveal critical insights into House operations and could potentially implicate Vice President Jeremiah Koung and former Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay, along with Fallah. Fears that the audit's outcomes could tarnish their political images have made them staunch opponents of Koffa's leadership, according to reports.
Moreover, the restrictive measures Koffa has implemented concerning the passage of the budget have added to the tension, according to sources at the Capitol. These measures are seen as attempts to curb the historical manipulation of budget allocations, leading to widespread frustration among lawmakers who perceive these actions as a direct threat to their political survival.
"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," explained an anonymous lawmaker, suggesting that these reforms are the real catalysts for the ousting efforts.
