MONROVIA- Though President Joseph N. Boakai and House Speaker Fonati Koffa have both played down simmering rumors about attempts by the Unity Party administration to unseat the Speaker, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) to which the Speaker belongs is apparently not taking chances. The fact that Koffa is the only highest CDC public servant in the current political dispensation, and that the UP had hunted and purged a horde of CDCians from its government, including civil servants and tenured officials, the CDC is understandably furious, boiling with rage, and won’t stomach even rumors about a political coup against their kin go lying down. Thus, during the CDC’s “Militant Day” celebration last weekend, the party belligerently spewed out volleys of militant diatribes amongst it all their preparedness to defend and protect, at every cost, any attempt by Boakai and/or the UP to politically “touch” Speaker Koffa. The Analyst reports.
The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has released a fury of threats against the governing Unity Party, specifically President Joseph Nyuma, who is believed to be orchestrating a ploy to remove from office the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Jonathan Fonati Koffa.
It has long been rumored that the Unity Party, allegedly on orders from its Standard Bearer Joseph Boakai, was planning to oust Speaker Koffa and replace him with a partisan of the ruling party.
During the reign of the CDC, when they were heading the Executive Branch of Government, it was at the same time heading both wings of the National Legislature – the House of Senate and the House of Representatives. The CDC did not achieve this dominant power by means of coup.
The current ruling party is also in charge of the Senate wing, and there are rumors out there that they are fighting tooth and nail though rather subtly as to also spread their political tentacles to the House of Representatives, and be like the CDC that was in control of nearly all the Branches of Government.
As the rumors about the House coup was gaining traction, Speaker Koffa hinted that there no such thing as far as his observation was concerned, but he later was heard hooting alarms about budgetary strangulations against the House which he heads.
However, as members, sympathizers and leaders of the CDC gathered in their numbers at their Congo Town headquarters over the weekend to celebrate what they called “Militant Month”, an executive of the party in a rather belligerent tune dared the Unity Party and President Boakai to implement any anti-Koffa maneuvers.
“When you touch Speaker Koffa, we will touch you,” yelled Alvin Wesseh on the top of his voice to the supportive applauses and cheers of the crowds of CDCians at the program on Friday.
Wesseh said Bokai would make the biggest mistake of his life, exposing himself to a situation that would end in his first term, if he ever provokes the wrath of the “gallant and well-resolved mass popular movement under the banner of the Indomitable Mighty Congress for Democratic Change if he touched Speaker Koffa”.
The CDC Youth Wing executive who apparently was speaking on behalf of the Party indicated: “Now, let me say this as a caveat: when you are attacking the Speaker, you are attacking the CDC. Let me repeat. If you are attacking the speaker, you are attacking the CDC.”
Wesseh was categorical in stating that any an attempt on the speakership of the 55th Legislature occupied by Grand Kru County Representative Jonathan Fonati Koffa will provoke a tit-for-tat, collateral response on the Executive Branch of Government.
“The Speakership of the National Legislature is a property of the CDC,” he asserted. “The Unity Party should not cross the red line by tampering with the Speakership.”
The further emphasized: “If you make an attempt on the speakership, the CDC will make an attempt on the Executive. We can assure you that the popular people will move straight to the Executive Mansion, and there will be no more government in this country. It is a caveat, a caveat you cannot afford to ignore.”
Apparently energized by the applauses that occasioned his warning to the Unity Party, Wesseh continued: “So, if Mr. Boakai wants to end his six years, his government, his under one-percent, controversial mandate, he must not test the gallantry and fortitude of the masses under the banner of the indomitable Mighty Congress for Democratic Change. Let it be clear that any attempt on the speaker will be an attempt on Mr. Boakai; he will be chased and the people will take control of their own destiny.”
He said the CDC has always been in the front line of everything, stating that in the Republic of Liberia, the constitution says Liberia has three Branches of Government.
Wesseh added: “If everyone agrees that we have three Branches of Government, then we ask the fundamental question of who is in charge of the government? In the context of preference of the Branches of Government, we were taught and told that the Legislative Branch of Government is the first Branch of Government in the understanding of the indomitable mighty Congress of Democratic Change. So then, CDC has the First Branch of Government.
“Let me say this to you, and this message goes specifically to Mr. Boakai himself: The First Branch of Government is the representation of millions of CDCians. The speaker you see today did not get to the Legislature on his own but by and through the overwhelming mandate of the people. He was voted by the indomitable might Congress for Democratic Change. The people of the CDC through their votes sent him into parliament and he became Speaker. And so, Mr. Boakai, the attempt you are making on the speakership is a suicidal risk.”
Wesseh then assured the Speaker, who was also in audience at the “militant month” celebration that he remains their property and that they will protect him in the government.
“Mr. Speaker, we say to you here that you remain the property of the CDC and we dire Mr. Boakai to tamper with the speakership which is the property of the indomitable Congress for Democratic Change.”
Wesseh then turned to journalists covering the occasion and said: “If you are recording, tell Mr. Boakai that we are not in his cat and rat play. It is left with him and his tiny, tiny rescuers to proceed with caution.”
Immediately the audience of CDCians burst into a new slogan: “When you touch the speaker, we will touch you.”
When the hooting of slogans had subsided, Wesseh, in a militant style, invited Speaker Koffa to the podium: “At this time, permit me now comrades, members of the underground affairs, members of the ground forces of the party – those who bear the insignia of the blue berets and the red berets, those in their revolutionary regalia, men and women who are able to resist the Unity Party, we call upon this bastion – the man who presides over this government, the man who is the representation of CDC at the level of National Legislature, Comrade Fonati Koffa.”
Beaming with broad smiles, Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa, joined hundreds of partisans into chanting battle cries and slogans. Then he said: “No successful revolution ever bypasses a counter revolution. The Mighty Congress for Democracy Change is in a period of counter revolution.
“We must issue to our partisans the necessary caveat that during the period of counter revolution, unity is the most important point.”
Speaker Koffa, a staunched CDCian, told his fellow partisans: “The strength of our party right now lies in our unity, in the ideology that has brought us here and in the forces that have kept us here. And so today is one of the days you have made memorable; you have stolen the show, and stole it clear and square. Congratulations and thank you.”
The program reached an electrifying peak when Nathaniel McGill ascended the stage, saying that the CDC Standard Bearer, George Manneh Weah, was on the line to speak to CDCians.
However, the microphone failed and the former President’s message halted, much to the disappointment of many partisans that wanted to hear their political leader.
The Militant Day Program continued Sunday when CDCians climaxed the entire festivities.
In recent times, pro-CDC media outlets were vibrating with talk shows, jingoes and other promotional materials mobilizing partisans, sympathizers and supporters to rise up, assemble and drown the ‘Sycamore Tree’ with battle cries, slogans and moving speeches to shake off and wash out the stupor of an unfortunate, unexpected defeat it suffered seven months ago.
The CDC, whether it was the Congress for Democratic Change or the Coalition for Democratic Change is widely believed to be Liberia’s most populous political party in recent decades, drawing membership and supporters from densely populated communities and faraway regions.
The CDC lost power after just one term (six years) – a loss some blamed on unscientific campaign planning, corruption and dishonesty on the part of those relied upon at the time to convert its popularity to victory at the ballot box. Others blame the loss on public gullibility to the lies and propagandas cleverly pivoted by the then opposition Unity Party.
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