Monrovia — Ex-Liberian President George Weah on Tuesday met with some representatives of the Congress of Democratic Change (CDC), as part of efforts to bolster the number of embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa in the ongoing saga at the House of Representatives.
Weah's CDC has been enmeshed in internal crisis since some of its members, notably Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, joined ranks with a group of lawmakers pushing the removal of Speaker Koffa, an elite member of the CDC.
Allegedly present at the meeting were the lawmaker of Montserrado County's 10th district and a major critic of Weah, Yekeh Kolubah, Bong County District #5 Representative Eugene JM Kollie, Gbarpolu County District #1 Representative Zinnah B. Norman, and Montserrado County District #9 Representative Frank Saah Foko, among others.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that Deputy Speaker Fallah and Weah are expected to meet ahead of Thursday, in another move to convince his one-time "confidant" to part company with the "majority bloc" and return to the Koffa bloc. Deputy Speaker Fallah couldn't be reached up to press time to authenticate the rumors.
FrontPageAfrica has reliably gathered that the aim of the former Liberian president is to convince CDC lawmakers who have aligned with the "majority bloc" to return under Speaker Koffa's gavel and ensure he (Koffa) gets 37, the required number to have a quorum. And it seems to be paying off as Rep. Norman, who had earlier joined the "majority bloc", has clarified that his presence in their Chamber last week was "misunderstood", adding that his loyalty to the party and Speaker Koffa remains unbending.
Rep. Kollie, meanwhile, posted to his Facebook page following the meeting, saying, "It was often said that Ex-President Weah was playing games by delaying to come to Liberia when Speaker Koffa needed him most, but his delay was to prove his strength with the Liberian people. As the speculations grew that Speaker Koffa was at the point of resigning, his "friend" arrived and shouted, "Do Not Resign, I am here with you"!
According to a source who attended the meeting, Weah begged aggrieved lawmakers that aligning with the "majority bloc" to remove Koffa would affect the party ahead of 2029, particularly when it has become glaring that the fight to remove Koffa is being reportedly masterminded by the ruling Unity Party.
The president assured lawmakers that as the leader of the party, part of his role was to create the environment for members to ventilate their grievances, according to our source. Our source added that the former Liberian president assured lawmakers that he would continue to address the challenges through the party machinery.
"I thank you for the decision to approach me with your concerns over the current situation and for pursuing a solutions approach for the challenges thrown up by the recent attempts by the Unity Party to remove the Speaker," Weah was quoted as saying.
"As the leader of the party, one of my primary roles is to ensure that our internal dispute resolution is strengthened by creating the opportunity for members to ventilate their opinions, views and grievances at different levels."
Recall, Speaker Koffa last week filed a petition with the Supreme Court, challenging what he describes as unconstitutional and illegal actions taken by members of the House's majority bloc.
The petition comes in the wake of a controversial move by the majority bloc to elect Montserrado District 11 Representative Richard Nagbe Koon as the new Speaker.
This decision followed a resolution signed by the bloc to oust Koffa from his position, a move Koffa argues flagrantly violates the Liberian Constitution and House Standing Rules.
Koffa's legal challenge primarily revolves around the legitimacy of the plenary session during which Koon was elected.
According to the Speaker, this session was convened without his authorization or presence, a clear violation of Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and Rule 10 of the House Standing Rules. These provisions, Koffa asserts, grant him exclusive authority to call and preside over legislative sessions, making the actions of the majority bloc unconstitutional and procedurally invalid.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The petition further highlights the suspension of three lawmakers--Representatives Edward Flomo, Abu Kamara, and Marvin Cole--by the majority bloc. Koffa argues that these suspensions were carried out without due process, a requirement firmly enshrined in Article 20 of the Liberian Constitution.
The Speaker also references Rule 48 of the House Standing Rules, which mandates adherence to due process in disciplinary actions against lawmakers. By bypassing these constitutional safeguards, Koffa contends, the majority bloc has undermined the principles of fairness and accountability.
The ongoing dispute has exposed deep divisions within Liberia's 55th Legislature, with significant implications for the country's governance and political stability.
The actions of the majority bloc, combined with Koffa's legal challenge, have created a tense standoff that could shape the future of legislative leadership in Liberia.
