The crisis at the House of Representatives over the removal of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa took a dramatic turn on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, after Deputy House Speaker Thomas Fallah wrote the Aniti-Koffa Majority Bloc lawmakers begging for time to respond to their communication compelling him to preside over their session.
It can be recalled that on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, majority members seeking to oust the speaker were seen in a separate session, while the minority bloc in favor of the speaker held another.
The majority bloc of 43 lawmakers presided over by Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Representative Clarence Gahr of Margibi County District #5 and Co-presided by Montserrado County District # 2 Representative Sekou Kanneh, met in the Joint Chambers of the Legislature, while the minority bloc’s session Chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah was held in the regular chambers of the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, Speaker Koffa’s minority block was unable to acquire 37 Representatives which constitutes a quorum as only 30 representatives were present in the chamber. Therefore, the bloc was compelled to postpone its session.
During that sitting, Nimba County Representative Musa Hassan Bility filed a motion to compel majority bloc lawmakers who didn’t attend to report on Thursday, October 24, 2024. The motion was unanimously voted in favor of.
Again on Thursday, October 24, 2024 the majority bloc was able to hold session, while Speaker Koffa’s bloc of 30 lawmakers were in their full number, yet could not do official business due to lack of quorum. However, the Anti Koffa Bloc wrote a letter to Deputy Speaker Fallah commanding him to preside over their sessions as they met the requirement for quorum.
But Deputy Speaker Fallah in a letter written to majority bloc read on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, craved the indulgence of his colleagues in the Joint Chambers to excuse him in order to allow him some time to consult with his legal team regarding the matter at hand.
Fallah said it will enable him to make an informed decision that will not contravene the Liberian Constitution and other relevant statutes. He acknowledged receipt of the two communications from Majority Bloc dated October 22 and 24, 2024.
“In the aforementioned letters, my distinguished colleagues have invoked appropriate provisions of the Rules and Procedures of the House of Representatives, as Well as the Liberian Constitution to compel me to appear in the Joint Chamber on Tuesday. October 29, 2024,” Deputy Speaker Fallah said.
According to him, this is happening in the wake of a resolution signed by then under the name ‘Majority Members to remove Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’.
Meanwhile, Speaker Koffa last week took flight to the Supreme Court over the matter; this led Chambers Justice Yamie Quigui Gbeisay to issue a stay order on Friday, October 25, 2024, halting all processes forming part of an attempt to oust Koffa, but it seems the high court’s order has no weight as majority Bloc lawmakers vowed to proceed anyhow, something they did on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
By Tonita N. Copson
