MONROVIA – The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) once thrived on unquestioned loyalty, with the party’s mandate deemed absolute. But times are changing—CDC’s supremacy is being challenged, and its once unbreakable grip is beginning to slip.
This shift in party control became evident during the recent clash in the House of Representatives, where some lawmakers moved to unseat Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, a prominent CDC member. Despite the CDC losing the November 14, 2023, runoff election to the Unity Party, it managed to maintain a foothold by securing 25 seats in the House, retaining its status as the majority party. The ruling Unity Party has a mere 11 seats in the House.
Despite holding a majority in the House, Speaker Koffa has struggled to secure a quorum for sessions this week, as 10 of his own party members have aligned with those working tirelessly to remove him from his position. Both Tuesday’s and Thursday’s sessions saw the Speaker presiding over 30 lawmakers, while the opposing group, now considering themselves the majority bloc, gathered 43 members in their parallel session in the joint chambers of the Legislature.
At the onset of the push to remove the Speaker, allegations surfaced that Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah, also a member of the CDC, was one of the sponsors of the ‘coup.’ He denied the accusation, and his denial was corroborated by the Speaker.
Last Thursday, the political leader of the CDC, former President George Weah, accused the Unity Party-led government of using “ill-gotten funds” from national coffers to influence what he described as an “unjust removal” of the Speaker.
“This blatant act of political chicanery not only threatens the integrity of our constitutional legislative process but also sets a dangerous precedent for governance in our beloved nation,” Weah stated. He added that the maneuvers to manipulate the legislative branch for partisan gain represented a direct affront to the principles of democracy and the will of the Liberian people.
His statement was followed by an emergency meeting called at the residence of the Deputy Speaker, reportedly attended by key party figures, including Senator Nathaniel McGill, Secretary General Jefferson Koijee, party ideologue Samuel D. Tweah, and acting Youth Chair Eddy. The discussions aimed to solidify party unity and chart a way forward.
According to reports, it was agreed during the meeting that the party would issue a statement urging all representatives who signed the resolution for the removal of the Speaker to rescind their decision. Deputy Speaker Fallah was also tasked to publicly call on party members to respect the mandate and work towards strengthening its numbers.
This meeting was followed by a press conference held by the party’s secretary general, Jefferson Koijee, who threatened the expulsion of lawmakers who remained adamant about rescinding their support for the Speaker’s removal.
However, all of these mandates from the Congress for Democratic Change appear to be falling on deaf ears.
The parallel sessions of the bloc opting to remove the Speaker have been chaired by Margibi Representative Clarence Gahr, a member of the CDC. Other CDC members who remain unbending in their quest are Julie Fatima Wiah (Lofa County, District 2), Siafa Kpoto (Margibi, District 3), Ivan Jones (Margibi, District 2), Emmanuel Yarh (Margibi, District 4), P. Mike Jury (Maryland, District 1), Alexander Poure (River Gee, District 1), Isaac Choloplay Wuo (River Gee, District 2), Johnson Williams (River Gee, District 3), and Sampson Wiah (Sinoe, District 2).
The Acting Chairman of the CDC told The Liberian Investigator that the party is closely monitoring the situation at the Capitol while at the same time encouraging all CDC lawmakers to support the Speaker.
“We are currently using every available means to persuade the CDC lawmakers who are opposing the Speaker to change course. There will be political and disciplinary consequences for those who will not adhere to the mandate of former President George Manneh Weah and the CDC,” he said.
According to him, the disciplinary actions include suspension and expulsion.
The lawmakers opting to remove the Speaker allege he has continued to serve as a legal consultant for government agencies and private entities while holding office, a potential breach of his ethical obligations. These accusations, alongside concerns about his alleged misappropriation of funds—amounting to millions of dollars—during his time as Deputy Speaker, have fueled the discontent against him.
The Speaker, however, refuted the allegations and said, “their claims are not well researched.”
According to him, since he became an elected official, he has never been involved with any private legal work. He added that his law firm has not done business with the government entities they claim he represents. He challenged his accusers to show any evidence that would prove that either he or his law firm—the International Law Group—has a business relationship with the government institutions he’s accused of being conflicted with. He said, as an astute lawyer over the years, he had made some friends and acquaintances, but has never allowed these relationships to conflict with his role as a lawmaker and Speaker.
Concerning the overspending of his budget as Deputy Speaker and now Speaker, Cllr. Koffa said he is confident that the audit he commissioned would reveal what transpired with the budget of the office of the Speaker.
He has called for peace and cooperation among lawmakers, seeking to resolve the internal conflict. Additionally, his supporters argue that the move against him lacks due process and is more about internal power struggles than genuine accountability.
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