Claim: Most of those trying to remove Fonati Koffa are from the Unity Party.
Source: Spoon Talk lead talk show host.
Verdict: Correct, but when contacted, Witherspoon failed to differentiate between the Unity Party alliance and the grassroots Unity Party lawmakers. Out of the 43 lawmakers that are requesting the removal of the speaker, 11 are from CDC, nine are from the Unity Party, and four are from MDR, an alliance of UP. The others are from other political parties and independent candidates.
Full Text: Stanton Witherspoon, former Chief Executive Officer who is the lead host of Spoon Talk, claimed that the majority of those lawmakers who are calling for the removal of J. Fonati Koffa are from the ruling Unity party.
Witherspoon made the claim on October 22, 2024, during the “one-on-one” special edition with the CEO, in which Koffa appeared on the show to speak about his removal.
The claim can be heard at 1:01:09 minutes into the show and has received 14,354 views on YouTube in the last 23 hours.
On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, the House of Representatives held two separate sessions in the joint chamber and the regular chamber at the Capitol Building.
The joint chamber is used by members of that august body for joint legislative setting or the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
It can be recalled that on Thursday, October 17, 2024, some members of the House of Representatives in the 55th legislature signed a resolution to remove J. Fonati Koffa, speaker of the house.
Article 49 of the 1986 constitution of Liberia calls for the removal of the speaker, deputy speaker, and other House of Representatives elected officials.
The above provision states, “The House of Representatives shall elect once every six years a Speaker who shall be the presiding officer of that body, a deputy speaker, and such other officers shall ensure the proper functioning of the House. The Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, and other officers so elected may be removed from office for cause by resolution of a two-thirds majority of the members of the House.”
Also, rule 9 of the House of Representatives under the title Removal/Expulsion of member: 9.1 states that the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and other Officers of the House, may be removed from office for cause by a resolution of a two-thirds majority of the members of the House.
Verification: To verify this claim, The Stage Media (TSM) reviewed its article published on the number of lawmakers from Koffa’s party, CDC.
We also visited the Facebook account of OK F.M. legislative reporter Nyantee Genero Samuel Togba.
According to Togba, out of the 73 lawmakers who are currently in the lower house of the legislature, the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has 25 lawmakers. Unity Party (UP): 11 lawmakers; Collaborating Political Parties (CPP): 6 lawmakers; Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR): 4 lawmakers; People’s Unification Party (PUP): 2 lawmakers; National Democratic Coalition (NDC): 1 lawmaker; Liberia Restoration Party (LRP): 1 lawmaker, Liberia National Union (LINU): 1 lawmaker; All Liberian Party (ALP): 1 lawmaker; Movement for Progressive Change (MPC): 1 lawmaker; Vision for Liberia Transformation Party (VOLT): 1 lawmaker; Independent: 19 lawmakers.
When contacted, Togba said 43 out of the 73 lawmakers have signed the resolution to remove Koffa.
Also, Gerald Koinyeneh, Head of Newsroom at Frontpage Africa and President of the Legislative Press Pool (LEGISLPOOL), said those named and political parties are: for Margibi counties, Ivar Jones (District #2)—Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Emmanuel Yarh (District #4)—Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and Clarence Gahr (District #5)—Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Those lawmakers from Maryland County are P. Mike Jurry (District #1) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Anthony F. Williams (District #2) – Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Austine Taylor (District #3) – Independent, and Montserrado County lawmakers include Prince Toles (District #8 UP), Sekou Kanneh (District #2) – Unity Party (UP), Michael Thomas (District #4) – Independent, and Richard Koon (District #11) – Unity Party (UP).
From Nimba County, Samuel Brown (District #1): Independent, Nyahn Flomo (District #2): Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), Nehker Gaye (District #3): Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Ernest Manseah (District #4): Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Samuel Kogar (District #5): Independent, Dorwohn Gleekia (District #6) – Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), Saye Mianah (District #8) – Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), while River Gee County lawmakers are: Alexander Poure (District #1) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Isaac Choloplay Wuo (District #2) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Johnson Williams (District #3) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and River Cess County are Steve Tequeh (District #2) – Independent.
Those from Sinoe County Sampson Wiah (District #2) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Lawmakers Supporting the Cause but Absent from the Press Engagement, Mannah Bishop Johnson (Bomi District #2) – Unity Party (UP)and Alex Grant (River Cess District #1)—Independent.
Other lawmakers and their counties include Bomi County Obediah Varney (District #1)—Unity Party (UP) and Sam P. Jallah (District #3) of the Independent, while Bong County has Prince Koinah (District #1)—Independent, James Kolleh (District #2)—People’s Unification Party (PUP), Robert Womba (District #4)—Unity Party (UP), and Foday E. Fahnbulleh (District #7)—Independent.
Gbarpolu County has Mustapha Warittay (District #3) – Unity Party (UP) and Grand Bassa County lawmakers are Isaac Bannie (District #1) – Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), Clarence Banks (District #2) – Independent, and Alfred Flomo (District #4) – Unity Party (UP).
For Grand Cape Mount County, Mohammed Dossi (District #2) is Independent, while Grand Gedeh County has Jeremiah Sokan (District #1) is Independent, Marie Johnson (District #2) is Liberia Restoration Party (LRP), and Grand Kru County has Nathaniel Bahway (District #1) – Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
Lofa County lawmakers are’: Thomas P. Fallah (District #1) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Augustine Chiewolo (District #5) – Unity Party (UP), Julie Fatima Wiah (District #2), Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Siafa Kpoto (District #3) – Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and Gizzie Kollince (District #4), Unity Party (UP).
Also, we contacted Witherspoon to clarify what he meant by ‘Unity Party’ since during the elections, there were other political parties that from an alliance with UP to unseat CDC.
In response to TSM’s first inquiry, Witherspoon replied, “Good morning… What is there to clarify? Please identify the UP lawmakers among the majority bloc.”
A follow-up question was sent to Witherspoon but he is yet to reply, when he does, this fact-check will be updated.
Conclusion: According to our research, the CDC has 11 legislators among the 43 who have signed the bill to remove Koffa, while the grassroots UP has nine. When the MDR legislators are added to the UP as part of the alliance, the number of UP-alliance lawmakers will be 13. Witherspoon did not distinguish between the Unity Party alliance and the grassroots Unity Party lawmakers. We are unable to state his context, but we can confirm that 13 UP-alliance lawmakers want the speaker removed.
