Nothing New …But Corruptible By: Staff Writer/Feona Kollie

Liberians who trooped to the polls in October and November 2023 to elect constituent direct representatives to make up the 55th members of the House of Representatives appear dispirited and discomforted across the country, approximately ten months into the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.

In the midst of harsh living conditions confronting the governed, the people’s elected representatives have been engulfed with internal power tussle over the House’s top leadership portfolio- the speakership.

It is recalled that slowly months ago, plot reportedly planned to remove Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa has been intermittent but thwarted, yet it has kept smoking to ensure a deal done, though on the average the governed seem disgusting.

The latest attempt surfaced a record number of forty seven out of the seventy-three members affixing signatures to remove Speaker Koffa who had left along with President Boakai on a foreign trip. Hell broke loose last week on Capitol Hill when the House’s Chamber was reportedly locked by Bong County Representative Marvin Cole in protest to the removal plot.

Judging by past political maneuvers, allegedly from the Executive Branch to control both the Senate and House, the current governing Unity Party has been finger-pointed that it is desperate to have its partisan as speaker of the Lower House for easy access to smooth legislative agenda, since indeed the Senate Pro-Tempo though a Liberty Party Political Leader- Nyonblee Karnga- Lawrence, is  well-seated as an influential ally to the governing UP.

Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung who is President of the Liberian Senate is also suspected to behind the push for the Speaker’s removal plot, though documentation linked to the unfolding manipulation has not been identify.

However, whether or not Speaker Koffa will be removed, some lawmakers who have signatories to the resolution are reportedly making a u-turn as on last Friday, October 18, 2024 the number  of signatories reportedly reduced from 47 to 41.One of the recent withdrawers is Grand Bassa County District 5 Representative, Thomas A. Gosauh, who on Friday accordingly withdrew his signature from the removal resolution, stating that his plan to be a part was not intentional, but to know the true intent and the mastermind behind the removal plan.

 Rep Goshua disclosed that some members of 55th Legislature have drafted a resolution to oust Speaker Koffa from his position by obtaining the required signatures of lawmakers to effect the speaker’s removal.”My role in this matter was purely investigative, intended to collect information on behalf of the Speaker, and it was not meant as an endorsement of the effort to unseat him,’ Rep. Goshua clarified.

He said as a duly elected representative and member of the House of Representatives, he has hereby formally decided to rescind his signature from the resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Koffa with immediate effect, having accomplished the task, understanding circumstances surrounding the resolution, necessitating this immediate clarification.

The Grand Bassa County District 5 Representative also said upon completing his inquiry, he discovered that the push for Speaker Koffa’s removal was largely in response to his bold stance to commence the audit of the House of Representatives linked to bribery, which according to him, is a significant development; noting that such audit has never been conducted at the Legislature since he came remember.

He maintained that the proposed audit, which aims to promote transparency and accountability within the House, has clearly generated resistance from certain quarters, and now this resistance is the primary basis for the resolution to remove the speaker; adding, “ In light of this revelation, as lawmaker, in good conscience, I should not support any effort aimed at stifling such an important and necessary step toward good governance.”

” Speaker Koffa’s proposal to audit the House is an unprecedented move toward ensuring that the people’s representatives are accountable to those they serve. Therefore, I want to make it unequivocally clear that my signature was never intended as an endorsement of any action aimed at opposing these reforms. Speaker Koffa has demonstrated exemplary leadership during his tenure, and I will continue to have confidence in his vision for a more transparent and accountable legislature. While I also respect the right of my colleagues to raise concerns, I believe that efforts to address internal grievances must be constructive and solution-oriented, rather than undermining a leader committed to institutional reform,” Rep. Goshua noted.

He explained that It is regrettable that the drive to remove the Speaker has been intertwined with opposition to such a critical initiative as the audit, stating that as representative of the people having a duty to embrace transparency and not to resist it, the audit represents a turning point for the House of Representatives, and he has believed it is essential for restoring trust in the legislative process.

 Rep. Goshua urged members of the House to focus on what truly matters: serving the people of Liberia , maintaining that the challenges faced require full attention, and as lawmaker, they cannot afford to be distracted by internal divisions.

He, at the same time, revealed that the audit proposed by Speaker Koffa is a vital step in ensuring that the institution of the House of Representatives operates in the best interest of the public, hoping that the lawmakers can come together to address the critical issues facing the country for the betterment of all.

In the same vein, the internal dynamics of the House of Representatives are also under intense scrutiny as  power struggle is said to be escalating between Speaker  Koffa and Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah.

Both men who are members of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), are reportedly clashing over control of the influential Ways, Means & Finance Committee, currently chaired by Rep. Dixon Seeboe, a staunch ally of Speaker Koffa.

The feud has glowed concerns within the CDC and reignited debates about transparency and accountability in Legislature.

There is Deputy Speaker Fallah’s reported bid to exert influence over the leadership of the finance committee by attempting efforts to replace Seeboe, who has held the post since Speaker Koffa’s rise to power.

Accordingly, the alleged manipulation has triggered a wave of dissent. This internal conflict threatens to destabilize the former ruling party’s already fragile unity.

Former President George Weah, the CDC’s political leader, has spoken out against the removal of Speaker Koffa, emphasizing that such internal wrangling does not benefit the party.

Weah urged the opposition bloc to set aside their differences in favor of party unity, reflecting concerns that the ongoing feud could undermine the CDC’s future prospects.

 The political fiasco at the National Legislature reflects the very wrath that removed the current Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe, then House Speaker under Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s first term. From the opposition bloc, Snowe was partisan of former governing National Patriotic Party (NPP) for Montserrado Electoral District Six in the 52th National Legislature.

He was vehemently opposed by the very Unity Party elites with the late Willie Knuckles, then Minister of State for Presidential Affairs being lead campaign for Snowe’s removal. Though Snowe was finally  removed and now Bomi County Senator Alex Tyler became speaker, the backlash was the infamous ‘Knuckles’ Gate’- the sexual display of Mr. Knuckles and two females captured on the Independent Newspaper in Monrovia.

Also, following the 2011 presidential and legislative elections which marked Madam Sirleaf’s 2nd term, Nimba County Electoral District Six Representative-Richard Toweh was expected to win the speakership election, but cash violence, which is also said to be playing in the attempt to remove Speaker Koffa, took center stage and Tyler won as speaker as allegedly Madam Sirleaf’s interest for legislative agenda. As one insider at the time noted, “ President Sirleaf placed a call to Toweh after Tyler had won that Toweh should run for the deputy speaker portfolio- but the response from Representative Toweh was-‘that was not what I wanted…”    

Koffa,  Koung, Boakai, Snowe, Tyler, Toweh, Ellen