Monrovia, Liberia – With immediate effect, Deputy Speaker Thomas P. Fallah has been kicked out of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The decision to remove the party’s longest-serving lawmaker comes after the National Disciplinary Committee (Grievance and Ethics Committee) made recommendations, according to a statement released by the party’s National Chairman Janga Kowo. It also highlights the CDC’s dedication to discipline, unity, and upholding its core values.
Deputy Speaker Fallah and a number of CDC legislators were placed under investigation and briefly suspended in November for their roles in Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s “illegal” expulsion. Fallah has been heavily criticized for his crucial part in Speaker Koffa’s dubious dismissal. Earlier, he had promised to defend Speaker Koffa and the party and denied any plot to remove embattle speaker.
He did, however, desert to the Majority Bloc in the Joint Chamber from the main chamber, where he had been co-presiding. There, he oversaw their meetings, during which three members of the House of Representatives all CDC lawmakers were suspended, Speaker Koffa was dubiously removed, and Rep. Richard Koon was elected Speaker. His actions have been characterized by partisans as a blatant violation of the party’s beliefs and a betrayal.
According to Kowo, the NEC has given parliamentarians from the CDC a seven-day ultimatum to be provisionally suspended as part of an additional attempt to safeguard party purity and take power. They must re-join the party or risk being kicked out for good. This ruling demonstrates the CDC’s efforts to maintain discipline and unity among its members, especially in the Legislative Branch.
Fonati Koffa’s legitimacy as the Speaker of the 55th Legislature was confirmed by the CDC. The party said that Speaker Koffa’s resignation would be “legal assassination” and endanger the integrity of Liberia’s government, and it urged him to stay in his post.
The CDC voiced concern over the so-called Majority Bloc’s actions regarding the national budget. The party declared that the bloc’s attempts to influence the budget process for their own benefit were unlawful and a danger to the country’s economic stability.
Richard Koon’s recent election as Speaker was rejected by the NEC, which claimed it was an illegal operation carried out by the Unity Party. The Supreme Court’s decision to recognize Fonati Koffa as the legitimate Speaker and to respect Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution was reaffirmed by the CDC.
The CDC’s National Chairman, Atty. Janga A. Kowo, welcomed the NEC’s statement, reaffirming the party’s commitment to upholding Liberia’s democratic institutions and seeking justice.
The CDC underlined its support for citizens’ constitutional right to peaceful assembly and protest in response to the ongoing tensions. The party urged the government to guarantee the security and safety of every Liberian exercising their right to peaceful protest.
The CDC reaffirmed its commitment to upholding peace, stability, and respect for constitutional procedures to its members, Liberians, and the global world. The party promised to protect the country’s democratic institutions from any challenges to stability and governance, and to enforce the rule of law.
