House Speaker Koffa Erects Checkpoint – ‘Nonsense by A Few To Destabilize Legislature Will Stop Here,” He Says

MONROVIA – The Liberian Legislature has witnessed the forceful ouster of two speakers of the House of Representatives in recent history. That happened when a group of lawmakers ganged up against the incumbent House Speaker, be it Edwin Melvin Snowe or be it Alex Tyler, weaved a few grievances here and there, called for resignation, and the Speaker caved in and surrendered. No reference to the rule of law and to due process. As the Liberian parlance goes, because “it is sweat in their mouth” they are attempting to repeat the scenario this year. But there stands firmly a Kru man, Jonathan Fonati Koffa, a fearless human being, and lawyer by training. As The Analyst reports, it looks like this year’s House insurrection has hit the rock, because the man who sits in the Speaker Seat is saying something else – “this nonsense” whereby a few number of lawmakers would wake up in the morning, demand the resignation of a sitting Speaker and get it without due process will stop here; I will not step aside.”

What appears to be new escalation to the standoff in the House of Representatives, 24 hours after the departure of the ECOWAS mediation mission, has shown up with Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa holding a major meeting and out boldly announcing his intent not to recuse himself and submit to investigations – at least not until his foes hit the number of 49.

Many Liberians might have thought the visit of the ECOWAS mission would tune down the rhetoric and the parties would be locked into dialogue towards finding solution to the impasse. But as the Government of President Boakai finally decided to submit the 2025 National Budget to the Chief Clerk who in turn submitted it to the so-called “majority bloc”, couple with the openly defiant press conference by Speaker Koffa, it seems more fire is added to the fuel, and there is going to be significant escalation. 

The House Speaker, speaking to a huge audience Monday including the media, vowed not to recuse himself and submit to investigations until the majority bloc endeavors to get the required 49 members of the House of Representatives.

“The law is the law, and we must proceed by the law,” he said in an apparently militant mood. “You want to remove me, let it be in line with the laws of our country, and see whether if you have your 49 members, I will not recuse myself.”

“I have promised long ago that the moment the majority bloc constitutionally brings forth their complaint, I will recuse myself,” he continued. “So, my hanging on is not an excuse; they have to find different excuse.”

Speaker Koffa said “the moment you get your 49 members, I will park my office so fast, and go to where I supposed to be. But this nonsense where every day a group of people will come in and destabilize the house and its leadership for personal aggrandizement will stop here.”

According to him, the legitimacy of every institution is given by the people, adding: “All power is inherent in the people and I am gratified that majority of our people are standing with us on the side of the law.”

The Speaker spoke of the meeting held with the delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament as a significant step to ending the ongoing stalemate at the House of Representatives, though the ECOWAS delegation intervention yielded no positive fruit.

“Our colleagues from the ECOWAS Parliament came in as an effort to resolve the ongoing situation at the House of Representatives and said they were going to do everything possible to get the impasse resolve,” Speaker Koffa said. He indicated that at the meeting, the ECOWAS delegation raised six major points to both parties to help resolve the crisis.

They include letter of complaint against the speaker be submitted; that speaker recuse himself; that both parties proceed into the main chamber of the house to conduct business under the gavel of deputy speaker; that the investigation takes two weeks, and there should be a complete decorum among members during the process amongst others.

Speaker Koffa said he agreed to adhere to the recommendations of the ECOWAS delegation and ensure that the laws of Liberia and the House of Representatives were respected.

Meanwhile, the Speaker said his resignation being speculated by several members of the public is far from the truth and that he would not give such an unwarranted impression to lawlessness.

“To those who say they are hearing rumors about my resignation, let me clarify that resignation is an option, a voluntary act of man that I will never give to a majority bloc or to anyone,” Speaker Koffa noted.

“On this journey, we will stand squarely on the side of the Liberian Constitution; we will stand squarely on the side of the rules of the House of Representatives,” he averred. “Beyond this, anything anyone wants to do will be done without our knowledge.”

“I don’t know how this journey is going end for me personally,” Speaker Koffa further indicated. “I have already told you I will not resign but I don’t know what is going happen. I can’t give you that guarantee but I can only tell you as to what will happen under my watch and what will happen under my gavel: the rule of law. And that is what I have pledged to stand by.”

Buses for Legislative Staff

Speaker Koffa has announced the arrival a new bus as well as three other vehicles for staffers of the House of Representatives, noting that the remaining buses for employees would arrive soon.

“One of the staffers’ buses have come in along with three vehicles and we will be assigning them today, while the remaining ones will be early next week,” he said.

Yekeh’s Remarks at gathering

For his part, Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah reiterated that the speaker will not resign.

“To get him out, you need to bring the Armed Forces of Liberia to remove him,” he said. “I am with the law; so, bring the law; get your 49 and get the speaker out.”

Representative Kolubah described the session of the majority bloc as a normal meeting. “Anybody can go to their meeting and we are not going to dignify such meeting.”