The political curtains are slowly drawing on Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s time as head of the 55th Legislature, following a dramatic yet calculated series of events that now sees Liberia’s first female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, playing a central role in brokering his honorable exit.
According to Representative Musa Bility, who spoke candidly on OK FM, Koffa had “lost the taste of being Speaker” and reached out through backchannels to the former president, requesting her help in negotiating a graceful departure. It was not just about stepping down, it was about leaving with dignity, avoiding the political bruises that often accompany such a fall from the legislative pinnacle.
Speaker Koffa, a man known for his legal intellect and structured leadership style, has faced a wave of criticism and internal rebellion in recent months. With mounting pressure from opposing blocs, prolonged suspension of dissenting lawmakers, and questions about his leadership legitimacy, sources say the burden became too much, even for a man with a thick political skin.
As a result, Koffa and his team have officially submitted a resignation proposal and letter, not to the House directly, but to Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a former president with no active political ambition and a highly respected presence in ECOWAS diplomatic circles. This move, insiders say, was intentional: a call for neutrality and grace in transition.
The letter includes a key clause: Speaker Koffa is to receive all his due salaries and benefits for the past few months, a condition that appears to have been mutually agreed upon with the government. In return, those lawmakers who were previously suspended by the Majority Bloc will have their legislative privileges restored, starting with salary payments effective May 1.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is now expected to forward the resignation to the Chief Clerk of the House before it reconvenes on May 13. Once received, the letter will be placed on the House’s agenda, officially triggering the process of vacancy.
In line with the Standing Rules and Orders of the House, Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah will assume interim leadership and guide the House through a Speakership election process within sixty (60) days.
For many observers, Koffa’s quiet exit strategy, facilitated by a national elder, speaks volumes about the behind-the-scenes culture of political survival in Liberia. Rather than face a no-confidence vote or an outright showdown, the Speaker chose legacy over ego, requesting a path that would preserve both his image and his influence.
But with a leadership vacuum now imminent, the bigger question looms: who will rise to lead a fractured, skeptical, and deeply political House? And will this symbolic peace offering by Koffa signal true reconciliation within the 55th Legislature, or merely mark the end of Round One?
Only time will tell. But for now, the silence in the Speaker’s chair is loud.
