Published: October 17, 2024
MONROVIA – Forty-seven members of the House of Representatives have reportedly signed and read a petition to remove Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa as Speaker. The petition was read on Thursday at the Capitol amidst escalating tensions within the building. Representative Nya Flomo (Nimba, District 2) read the petition from his mobile phone. The Liberian Investigator has yet to obtain a copy of the petition. There would, however, be a voting process to finalize the removal.
The Speaker, currently out of the country on official duties with President Joseph Boakai, is expected to return to Liberia on Friday. It remains unclear whether he will seek legal recourse for his removal at the Supreme Court.
However, supporters of the Speaker, including Representative Frank Saah Foko, told The Liberian Investigator that the petition read by his colleagues is a mere bluff and as far as they are concerned, Koffa remains the Speaker.
Supporters of Cllr. Koffa attribute the move to oust him to the ongoing audit of the House, which he initiated. This marks the first post-war audit of the House, alongside a tightening of regulations on budget passage. The audit is seen as a direct threat by those who fear it might expose financial irregularities and mismanagement, potentially damaging several political careers, including that of Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah. Fallah, who once chaired the committee on Ways, Means, and Finance, is among those scrutinized in the audit.
This unprecedented post-war audit of Liberia’s legislature is expected to offer insights into House operations that could implicate several high-profile figures, including the Deputy Speaker, Vice President Jeremiah Koung, and former Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay.
Lawmakers gathered read petition to oust Speaker Koffa.
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