As Koffa Receives Additional Support For Speakership: UP Threatens Member Lawmakers; Vows To Deny Them Slot On UP Ticket In Future Elections

The Unity Party (UP) has issued threats to all its representatives who intend to support the candidacy of Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa for the Speaker’s position of the House of Representatives against the party’s preferred candidate, Montserrado County’s district #11 Representative, Richard N. Koon.

According to information, the UP has threatened that, any UP lawmaker who neglects Representative Koon for any other candidate for the speakership should be ready to endure the consequences that comes with willfully compromising the interest of the party.

The party also threatened to field candidates against any “deviant lawmaker who thinks their personal interest supersedes the party’s interest and the common good of the people”, emphasizing that such individual will not be placed on the party’s ticket in any future election.

The threat from the Unity Party (UP) comes in the wake of forty-two (42) members of the in-coming 55th House of Representatives adopting a resolution to support and canvass for the Deputy Speaker of the 54th National Legislature, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, to become the Speaker of the 55th Legislature.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐥𝐥𝐫. 𝐊𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐚’𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

On Wednesday, December 6, 2023, about forty-two (42) representatives resolved to declare the Deputy Speaker of the 54th National Legislature, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, as Speaker of the 55th House of Representatives, citing, among other things, the important role of the Speaker as the principal leader and spokesperson of the House who is responsible to maintain order, facilitate deliberation and promote bipartisan collaboration.

The resolution, named “Paris Agreement”, was signed at the Paris Restaurant in Sinkor and contained eight counts, which proffer Cllr. Koffa as best suited to lead the 55th Legislature, with an urge to other representatives to support the resolution as a demonstration of shared commitment to fostering effective and principled leadership at the first branch of government.

Among those who signed the resolution were members of Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) and independent representatives.

The signatories to the resolution urged their certificated colleagues in the soon-to-be 55th House of Representatives to join them in declaring Representative Koffa for the position of Speaker, recognizing that he possesses the necessary qualities and experience to fulfill this role in an exemplary manner, and called for signatures on the declaration as a means of affording all elected members of the 55th House an opportunity to express their support for Representative Koffa as the next Speaker.

As the call by the lawmakers receive resounding reception from other lawmakers, with additional five (5) representatives pledging to sign the resolution, the Unity Party has sent out a threat to its member lawmakers, whom it sees as denying the party from occupying that position of influence.

As the House prepares for the election of a Speaker and Deputy Speaker, individual representatives and parties are making frantic moves to secure the positions of influence. The CDC, on one hand, has declared support for the candidacy of Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa for Speaker and Thomas P. Fallah for Deputy Speaker, with the view that securing the positions would put them in the position to checkmate bills emanating from the Executive which are not in the interest of the state and its citizenry. On the other hand, the UP has declared its support for the candidacy of Richard Koon, with the view that securing the position will put the UP administration on a pace to smoothly implement its policies, as there would be no hindrance from the Legislature when bills of interest come from the office of the President.

On the far edge, CPP lawmaker, Musa Hassan Bility, is contesting for the Speaker’s position, with the aspiration of being the alternative leader who will not use his position of influence to lobby for bills because of party interest or go against bills because the opposition bloc wants to score a point against the ruling establishment.

However, supporters of Koffa’s candidacy are of the opinion that their candidate stands as a bipartisan who seeks the greater good of the country and not only for the CDC or Liberty Party—the two parties he has affiliated with in Liberian politics. They also claim that Koffa is the only candidate with the taste of leadership at such a level at the Capitol.