Embattled Speaker HonCllr J Fonati Koffa’s support base drops to 28 Representatives as his Deputy increases the anti-Koffa base to 44 Representatives.
Embattled Speaker HonCllr J Fonati Koffa’s support base drops to 28 Representatives as his Deputy increases the anti-Koffa base to 44 Representatives.
For the second consecutive time, the Liberian House of Representatives Speaker has failed to maintain his previous 30 Representatives who started the struggle with him. Today, the Speaker who is striving to maintain political power on Capitol Hill bowed to the hands of political plots as he again failed to conduct legislative functions for the fifth consecutive time.
Under pressure, House Speaker Koffa was forced to adjourn today’s session after the roll was called and only 28 Representatives were present. According to Article 33 of the Liberian Constitution, only two-thirds of the Legislature is needed for legislative work. The Liberian House of Representatives has 73 members which means the Speaker needs 37 members before conducting any Legislative function.
Deputy Speaker of the Liberian House of Representatives, Thomas Fallah, was the center of attraction today on Capitol Hill after he made a political 360 U-turn by pledging his support to the anti-Koffa group. Fallah had previously informed Liberians that his support was for his boss.
Fallah and Koffa are members of the former ruling party of the Republic of Liberia ( Congress for Democratic Change), and they both were elected as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives early this year.
The anti-Koffa group members jumped from 43 to 44 after the second in command of the House of Representatives joined their camp today.
Rule nine of the House of Representatives states that before a Speaker or members of the House of Representatives is removed, forty-nine members of the House will have to sign a resolution. With the Deputy Speaker joining arms the majority bloc needs five more Representatives to officially remove the Speaker from his post.
