AYV News, March 27, 2025
Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Republic of Liberia, Hon. Jonathan Fonati Koffa speaks to the Africa Young Voices (AYV) Media Empire Team in Liberia, on the ongoing fracas in Liberia’s Parliament.
On October, 18, 2024, about forty-seven members of the House of Representatives signed a resolution calling for Speaker Koffa’s removal, after he was accused of violating the House’s rules, an alleged conflict of interest, and unilateral decision-making on behalf of the House.
Speaking exclusively to AYV’s Daniel Moore, Head of the AYV Connect Africa Team in Monrovia, Speaker Koffaencouraged Liberians to focus on more important national issues rather than seeking his removal from office.
AYV Connect Africa magazine programme brings you impressive stories from African personalities, from creative talents, celebrities, corporations, to the African Diaspora.
Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa said: “If these forty-nine of my colleagues can come out today and give me reasons why they want me to step down, I will step down the same day, we will not even go to court. The only people who will tell you everything is fine in Liberia now are people who pretend everything is fine. The world is now focused on us, and the House is destabilised. Why should the removal of the speaker be the most important thing on your agenda? Why is it not the education of children? Why not the health of our people? Why not the empowerment of women? Why not the rule of law? Why must it be the removal of the speaker? This is crazy!”
However, the disenchanted lawmakers have so-far failed to provide evidence to back up the several allegations they made against Speaker Koffa. The embattled speaker is not ready to succumb to pressure and bow out as former Speaker Edwin Snow did in 2009.
The anti-speaker bloc has since refused to sit under Speaker Koffa’s gavel, by convening a separate conference.
Speaker Koffa has, however, branded their action a violation of the law, reemphasising his commitment not to resign if the disenchanted lawmakers do not reach the constitutional 49 to remove him.
“We can face the Liberian people; our vision is clear. On this journey, we will stand on the side of the Liberian people and the rule of law,” Speaker Koffa said. “I don’t want to be here one day past 49 (signatures). As soon as you get 49 signatures, I am out. But this nonsense, where a few groups of people, induced or not, come to destabilise the House and its leadership for personal aggrandisement, that bus stops here,” he stated.
Amidst the ongoing legislative stalemate over the speakership, President Joseph Boakai submitted the 2025 draft national budget to the Majority bloc through the chief clerk.
That singular decision by the president has deepened the fault lines even more, with some lawyers accusing the president of taking sides.
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The AYV Connect Africa Team travels from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to countries across Africa through sea ports and land, as an eventful journey filming episodes that bring its audience exclusive and insightful stories on the content.
