Liberia: Deputy Speaker’s Defection to House Majority Bloc Fuels Tension Between Longtime Allies
MONROVIA — In the run-up to the 2005 legislative and presidential elections, the relationship between George Weah and Thomas P. Fallah was like that of a father and son.
By Selma Lomax selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
Weah did everything to ensure that one of his “confidants” was elected as representative of Montserrado County’s fifth district, which he (Weah) found in Fallah, against the wishes of many party bigwigs, who argued that the latter, being a political rookie and having not contributed anything to the Congress of Democratic Change (CDC), should not be allowed to contest on the party’s ticket.
Weah, however, appealed to them to accept Fallah for reasons best known to him. His plea was received with mixed feelings among party men and women, especially among the majority of the aspirants seeking the party’s ticket ahead of the election.
Fallah contested the election and won by a landslide. He would go on to win a hat trick of elections in the district, a feat many attributed to Weah’s popularity.
More than two decades, things have been reportedly going smoothly between the godfather, Weah, and his godson, Fallah, until recently when some strange developments were noticed.
Like a bolt from the blues, Weah and Fallah after the disappointing 2023 presidential election, in which Weah lost the presidency to Unity Party’s Joseph Boakai, Weah and Fallah have not been seen together exchanging the usual banters, even at important party functions. Tongues started wagging and, as it is said, the walls have ears, so that from within there were whispers that the house was falling.
Noticeably among the cracks in the wall was Fallah’s decision to reconcile with the Minister of Internal Affairs, Francis Nyumalin, following a riot in Lofa’s District Five, which led to the death of partisans of the Congress of Democratic Change who had gone to defend him against pro-Unity Party protesters.
Fallah stated that his decision to reconcile with Nyumalin was in the spirit of peace and reconciliation. But Weah, FrontPageAfrica gathered, reportedly took offense to Fallah’s decision.
Weah vs Fallah
Fallah’s decision last week to join ranks with lawmakers pushing the removal of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa has appeared to be the last straw, pitting him against Weah, who described Fallah as “saboteur”.
On Fallah’s behavior, it reached to a point where he knew that he made an error. He’s a saboteur. He tried to sabotage the party. He knows that he made an error and he can’t come back. He doesn’t have the face to come back because he doesn’t even understand what he is doing.
George M. Weah, former President of Liberia
Weah then recommended the suspension of Fallah, saying that “If I were in the case of the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the CDC, Fallah would be suspended, but again, he doesn’t have the face to comeback. Fallah’s actions have crossed a line, making it impossible for him to return to the party.”
I have always sacrificed for the CDC and I demonstrated this during our most recent campaign in Lofa, where, under the sounds of bullets and intimidations, we gave everything to improve our party’s presence from a humble 7% in 2017 to an impressive 37% in 2023. Though the ultimate outcome did not favor us, the campaign remains a proof of our commitment to the party. I have always been willing to go the extra mile for this party, and this is something I will always do.
Rep. Thomas P. Fallah, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives
A day later, the CDC issued a statement, temporarily suspending Fallah and five other lawmakers for their involvement in Unity Party’s activities, citing violations of the party’s constitution. The CDC expressed concern over Pres. Boakai’s focus on removing Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, alleging that this move distracts from more pressing issues, such as delayed salaries for Armed Forces of Liberia personnel and rampant government corruption.
In a statement released shortly after the decision, Fallah expressed that his choice to align with the Majority Bloc was made in the best interest of Liberia and his party, the CDC.
“I have always sacrificed for the CDC, as I demonstrated during our recent campaign in Lofa. Despite facing gunfire and intimidation, we pushed forward and successfully boosted our party’s support from a modest 7% in 2017 to an impressive 37% in 2023,” Fallah said.
He continued, “I want to clarify that my actions in the Legislature are motivated by a deep love for our country and my party, as well as a desire to see Liberia advance. The decisions I make on Capitol Hill are grounded in a commitment to transparency, accountability, and the greater good of our nation. I hope that, in time, these actions will be understood as efforts to protect and uplift both Liberia and our CDC.”
Crisis in CDC bad omen for 2029
Political observers say the crisis in the CDC might break the party’s dominance in the country’s politic as well as strengthen opposition parties to significantly garner grassroots support ahead of the 2029 election.
While internal disagreements are inevitable in any political party, political observers believe focus should remain on unity as the party prepares for the 2029 presidential election.
The rivalry between Weah and Fallah may have a far-reaching effect on the CDC, especially with Fallah establishing himself as a factor in Lofa politics, having won the Unity Party’s representative candidate in 2023.
Before Fallah’s entry into Lofa politics, the CDC had in previous elections performed dismally at the advantage of Unity Party, but his presence in Lofa made the CDC a force to reckon with, helping the party to garner over 35 percent of the votes during the 2023 election.
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