-Embattled Speaker Koffa Responds to Eviction Notice
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia – Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Liberia’s 55th Legislature, has strongly rejected a letter purportedly from the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives regarding his removal from the Speaker’s office which he currently occupies.
His words: “Please inform those who instructed you to write such a letter that they should obtain the office in the same manner as they obtain the speakership – illegally and with the force of the executive. I believe, according to the so-called committee report, the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Oswald Tweh, whose interpretation of events got us to this point, has already outlined a pathway to complete the illegal act.”
The letter, transmitted via WhatsApp by Hon. James Kolleh, claims to convey a plenary decision on the matter. “The letter, supposedly written by you, purports to inform me of a decision by the plenary of the House of Representatives regarding the status of the office I am currently occupying.“
In his response, Speaker Koffa raised two key points. First, he stated that the plenary of the majority bloc had voted on January 30, 2025, to defer its committee report on the issue until February 4, 2025. He argued that the Chief Clerk’s letter, if based on instructions from the plenary, constitutes an “unlawful usurpation” of the authority of elected representatives.
Second, Koffa accused the “Majority Bloc” of attempting to seize his office through illegal means, referencing the alleged involvement of Justice Minister Cllr. Oswald Tweh. He claimed Tweh’s interpretation of events has paved the way for what he described as an “illegal act.”
Koffa concluded by stating he would no longer engage in further discussions on the matter. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions within Liberia’s legislature, with the Speaker’s position remaining a focal point of dispute.
No official response has yet been issued by the Chief Clerk or the Ministry of Justice.
The unstable House
Tensions deepened in the House of Representatives on October 17, 2024, when 47 members sought to remove Speaker J. Fonati Koffa over allegations of misconduct. Following a controversial election, Representative Richard Nagbe Koon was declared the “new Speaker,” a move many labeled fraudulent.
Amid these actions by the “Majority Bloc”, Koffa has maintained that he remains the legitimate Speaker of the House of Representatives.
