Koffa unworried about threats 

By Emmanuel wise Jipoh

House Speaker election candidate Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa says he is not worried about threats to his Speakership bid, expressing confidence in a victory in the Monday, 15 January 2024 election.

Upon their induction as lawmakers, newly elected members of the House of Representatives will vote in an internal election to elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives today, Monday, 15 January.

Cllr. Koffa, an incumbent Deputy Speaker of the House, is contesting for the position of Speaker of the House as a candidate for the outgoing ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

His rival in the race for the top job, Mr. Richard Koon, represents the opposition Unity Party (UP) in the House from Montserrado County Electoral District #11.

Koffa’s statement came against reports that the UP had planned to petition the Supreme Court to prohibit his speakership bid in challenge to his alleged dual citizenship.

Ahead of the speakership election, Koffa gathered his legislative bloc at the Farmington Hotel in Margibi County on Saturday, 13 January 2024 to set new strategies.

At that gathering, Representative Koffa told reporters that threats from his opponent to question his citizenship were just a bogus noise around town which can not deter his victory.

He explained that his team has worked on the most significant strategies to win the election, adding that threats can not stop his victory.

Koffa noted that his critics do not have the numbers to oust him, describing as bogus noise, his opponents’ threats of running to the Supreme Court to question his citizenship.

“I was shocked when one of the officials said if we can not win him, we will stop him. But I don’t know what that means, and I think that’s just a noise. Of course, the Unity Party doesn’t have the numbers to defeat [me],” said Representative Koffa.

He believed that the Unity Party’s plan to stop him from contesting the election through the court was just a joke, arguing that the court is not a body that determines the outcome of the legitimate franchise.

“If you can not win on the floor of the House, you won’t win in the court because the court does not determine the outcome of legitimate election,” Koffa argued.

“If they feel disenfranchised by running to the Court, we are prepared, and [we’re] not worry about the mere noise around,” Rep. Koffa intoned.

According to him, it is only the National Elections Commission (NEC) that has the authority to question the citizenship of an individual.

“I’m [not] worried about any threats, be it the current noise around town about my citizenship. I’m a Liberian,” he said.

“I’m the next Speaker of the House of Representatives, whether an aftermath legal action, that is not my concern. As it comes, we are ready,” Rep. Koffa said.