By Bill W. Cooper
Speaker J. Fonati Koffa alleged that a faction within the Legislature is plotting to remove him from his position because of the massive reforms ongoing under his watch.
In an exclusive radio interview, the Speaker explained that the primary reason behind his colleagues’ attempts to remove him is his “persistent refusal to allow lawmakers to steal from the government’s coffers as being done in the past.”
Publicly addressed the growing discontent among his colleagues, Koffa startlingly revealed the systemic corruption and public abuse of state resources that occurred during the 54th Legislature, and lamented, “This same cartel used to carry the budget to Boulevard Palace Hotel Room 1026 to adjust all the numbers.”
“And this is something that has drastically affected our governance especially as it relates to the budgets which is a major instrument for the country. And when I took over, I decided to change the narrative by making the process more transparent and it is because if this I’m being hunted,” he disclosed.
The Speaker further attributed his colleagues’ action to his steadfast commitment to transparency and accountability, particularly regarding budgetary processes that he claims have been historically tampered with.
Dissecting the cartel’s strategy, the Speaker explained that during these discussions, various government ministries and agencies would be invited to review the initial amounts allocated to them by the Ministry of Finance.
He revealed that some lawmakers would inform these officials that they intended to inflate the budget to secure kickbacks for themselves, thus reiterating his commitment for a thorough audit within of the House to address these issues.
“This same cartel came to me when I requested off-budget spending. They said, Mr. Speaker, we saw in their computer that the off-budget is US$15 million, but you can forget it if you ask them for US$2 million. Are you crazy?” he wondered.
Commenting as to whether he will resign amidst the pressure, Koffa firmly maintained, “There is no bloc in the Legislature; I am still the Speaker. They will be resisted. Anything outside the chambers is just a meeting and note, I am not going to resign because resignation is not an option. The law is what gives us authority. If they have the supermajority of 49 of the colleagues as enshrined in the Constitution and our rules, they can take the gavel. If not, they must come under it,” he declared.
The Speaker also indicated that he does not plan to resign, describing the efforts to oust him as “unrealistic and personal,” and thereby highlighted that many lawmakers regularly exploit their oversight authority to extort money from the Executive Branch.
Speaker Koffa, concluded by expressing his sadness and disappointment in some of his colleagues he considers as friends, lamenting, “I am broken, not by the spirit but by humanity.”
