Deputy House Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa appears to be the leading candidate in today’s Speakership election at the Capitol with over 37 Representatives already pledging him their support.
Deputy Speaker Koffa who is a member of the outgoing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) administration is going against incoming Unity Party Representative Richard Koon.
Both men are second term lawmakers, maintaining their seats in the just ended election.
But from all indications, Koffa’s CDC appears to have the number judging from the outcome of the October 10, 2023, Legislative polls in which the party won 27 seats, compared to the Unity Party which secure only 11 seats.
There are a total of 73 seats in the lower House but with several of the seats yet to be declared due to electoral disputes, the number of lawmakers expected to participate in today’s speakership election has been put to around 67 or so.
This means with the CDC majority number of 27, it would need roughly nine additional independent lawmakers to defeat the UP candidate Richard Koon who would need about 26 additional votes.
Koffa’s advantage going into the speakership race is based on the fact that he is being viewed as a lawmaker who can move both sides of the isles and can find his way through both camps and therefore, is best suited to take over from Chambers as compared to his rival Rep. Koon who lacks the ability to maneuver his way through the House to get his colleagues in line.
Moreover, Koffa’s chances at the Speakership have also been boosted by allegations of bribery. It has been alleged that the incoming President offered lawmakers US5000 each for inaugural parties in their respective districts ahead of the Speakership election.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
The former Vice-President has been accused of engaging in a pay for play to get his candidate elected as the speaker, an allegation his officials have denied saying the money had nothing to do with the election.
The candidates:
-Both Koffa and Koon come with their respective qualifications and experiences from various professional backgrounds, but not devoid of skeletons in their closets though.
Cllr. Koffa, is a seasoned lawyer with both local and international experiences, while Rep. Koon is a seasoned financial expert.
Cllr. Fonati Koffa:
Cllr. Kofa is currently the Deputy Speaker of the 54th Legislature, a second-term lawmaker from the outgoing ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) party. A seasoned lawyer and founding partner of the International Law Group (ILG).
Cllr. Koffa was a founding member of the now-fragmented Liberty Party. He rose to political prominence during the last days of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s regime when he served as chief prosecutor in the Sable Mining case.
Koffa would soon abandon the Liberty Party in 2017 to first contest as an independent candidate in his native Grand Kru County before later officially joining the CDC.
Koffa would later become a deputy speaker with strong backing from incumbent President George Weah, as he focused his left eye on the Speakership. He enjoyed a close relationship with outgoing President Weah.
A man with many suites, Koffa has a checkered past, one that is believed, he has lived to regret after being refined.
His chances:
Cllr. Koffa comes to the race with a huge support from the outgoing CDC which currently has about 27 or so representatives in the Lower House. A candidate only needs 40 of the 73 members’ votes to win the speakership.
With Bhofal Chambers out of the way, and CDC’s intent on retaining the third highest seat in the land, they would need at least 9 independent lawmakers to join them.
Deputy Speaker Koffa has boasted of having the numbers to get him over the line for the Speakership. About 40 lawmakers are said to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging their support to his candidacy.
But this is Liberia, where integrity in politics has often been seen flying through the windows. Thus, it remains to be seen if these pledges will actually translate into votes.
However, Unity Party’s quest for the Senate Pro-Tempore position, a fight the CDC is willing to easily let go could be an added advantage for Cllr. Kofa’s speaker’s dream. Although, it is not cast in stone because recent history has shown that the ruling party can control both houses- UP and CDC are good examples.
Representative Richard Nagbe Koon
Rep. Koon is currently representing the people of District #11 in Montserrado County in the 54th Legislature. Like his competitor, he is a second-term lawmaker from the incoming ruling Unity Party. A seasoned financial expert, Rep. Koon is a Lecturer at the University of Liberia MBA Program, he also teaches Accounting at the Undergraduate level.
Besides lecturing at various levels at the University of Liberia, Rep. Koon is an auditor. He audits clients accounting records, conducts bank reconciliation, prepares budgets, etc.
Koon has been a long-standing member of the incoming ruling Unity Party, winning Montserrado District #1 for the UP in 2017.
Rep. Koon has vowed to cut the speaker’s budget which currently stands at US$2.5 million per annum, saying that the money is too much for an office considering the competing national priorities.
His chances:
Koon comes to the speakership race with huge support from incoming President Boakai. But with his party’s minority number in the house, he would heavily rely on the commitments of the current opposition bloc and some independent lawmakers to see him through the finish line.
However, his chances remain bleak with the CDC willing to direct all its energies on the House Speakership race and cave in for UP to take the Senate, Koon finds himself at the mercy of his colleagues.
Unless the UP digs deeper and works overtime to change the variables in Koon’s favor, the CDC is set to take the House. This would mean a tough negotiation for Boakai’s regime to get some of its legislative agendas over. To be continued.
However, UP still believes that it can secure both the Senate Pro-Tempore position and the Speakership, arguing that CDC was able to take control of both houses during the Weah regime.
