Henry Pedro Costa Accuses Vice President and Top Legislators in Speaker’s Removal Bid

Monrovia, Liberia – Prominent Liberian commentator Henry Pedro Costa has sparked national debate with his recent claims about a coordinated effort to unseat House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa. In a scathing Facebook podcast, Costa alleged that powerful political figures, including Vice President Jeremiah Koung and Representative Thomas Fallah, are involved in an underhanded plot to remove Koffa, driven by self-interest and corruption concerns.

“This fight to remove the Speaker is not about my water-seller in the Duala Market,” Costa said. “It is about them—a political cartel that would do anything to protect their interests, amassing wealth at the people’s expense through the national budget.” He contended that Speaker Koffa's bold reform agenda, which includes an unprecedented attempt to audit the House of Representatives, triggered these efforts to oust him. “How dare he try to have an audit?” Costa said, implying that the audit would expose hidden corruption among legislators.

Costa highlighted the power dynamics in Liberia’s government, asserting that while the Speaker’s position is technically third in line, it wields far more influence than the vice presidency. “The vice president is a nominal role,” he explained, adding that Koffa’s commitment to reform has made him “the most powerful” target for those threatened by change. According to Costa, those behind the removal plot aim to preserve their own power and wealth, which they fear may be jeopardized by Koffa's accountability push.

Costa specifically accused Vice President Koung of orchestrating the Speaker’s removal behind President Joseph Boakai’s back, stating, “While Fonati was with the President meeting Pope Francis, some of the President’s own people, including but not limited to Vice President Jeremiah Koung, were prosecuting a sinister plan to remove the Speaker.” Costa further emphasized that President Boakai did not support the plan, noting that the Vice President’s actions humiliated the President and potentially weakened the administration’s credibility.