“Rebel” Law-makers disrupt Session At Capitol

The secrete chamber of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, January 13 turned to a boxing field when people who we thought are honorable enough to respectfully handle their inner policy differences resolved to use violence and invective instead of influence and persuasion, but some members of the majority bloc of Speaker Tyler have confided in this Paper that all those associated with the lawless behavior will be dealt with according to the House’s standing rules.

Some members of the group said the Speaker will be empowered to invoke House’s Rules and Procedure 48 which stresses observing the ethics of the Honorable August body. They will take drastic disciplinary measures against those caught in the web violating or fails to comply with the House’s ethics and procedure as specified in the Rules.

Those who may be affected by plenary’s decision today are Hon. Edwin Snowe, Emmanuel Nuquay, George Mulbah, Bill Twehway, Boima Fahnbulleh and Mary Karwor.

It all started when aggrieved lawmakers who felt that their communication was not reflected in the Tuesday’s order of Legislative agenda have disrupted the Tuesday regular session, demanding their communication be put on the agenda and on the floor for discussion. One cannot pre-empt or assume the content of the communication. According to sources, the content of the communication is calling for the investigation of Speaker Tyler for his alleged involvement into misappropriation of funds.

The removal of the Speaker requires two third (2/3) majority votes. It appears that the aggrieved group is catching much difficulties to gather the 2/3 majority signatories. According to information, so far less than 15 persons have affixed their signatures to the resolution that is calling for the removal of Tyler while the Tyler bloc has over 43 persons.

From all indications, it appears that the aggrieved block headed by Margibi County Representative Emmanuel Nuquay and Edwin Snowe with others are encountering tough resistance from majority of the Lawmakers due to their dangling moral ground.

Lofa County Representative Clarence Massaquoi during a live television broadcast said the leadership of the House of Representatives headed by Speaker Tyler is in tight, and those who are calling for the Speaker removal should re-think and focus on the substantive reason for which they were elected. He stressed that there are several national issues that need Legislators attention instead of fight for power.

It can be recalled, recently Bong County Representative George Sylvester Mulbah on his Facebook page posted that the return of the Lawmakers from their annual break would witness and be mark by tension and disagreement. A statement which many facebook users attributed to frustration because candidates he supported in the just ended special senatorial elections in Bong County have loosed. From the way he speaks, it appears that Hon. Mulbah is believed to be one of those opting for the speaker’s remover.

Independent investigation speaks to the fact that the source of anger for those calling for the Speaker removal is about tussle for Statutory Committee. Snowe, Nuquay, Fahnbulleh and others who are protesting were once heads of Statutory Committees but were made to resign in keeping with the House’s rule.

After three years of each Legislative turn, heads of Statutory Committees (Leadership Committees) are shifted by the Speaker for new appointment.

Potion of the 1.2 million given by NOCAL for the nationwide oil consultative tour according to the aggrieved group was been diverted into the personal use of Speaker Alex Tyler.

Tuesday evening, 40 Representatives just after session was been disrupted by the disgruntled Lawmakers signed a statement of support for Speaker Tyler. The 40 members of the House of Representatives who have reaffirmed their confidence and support for Ho. J. Alex Tyler as Speaker of the House of Representatives are also calling on their colleagues to relinquish their quest to remove the Speaker.

The lawmakers in the Tyler support resolution used Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution as a reliance which among other things calls for the election of Speaker once every six years. The speaker shall serve as the presiding officer of that body, a deputy Speaker, and such other officers and shall ensure the proper functioning of the House.

The group said Speaker Tyler was elected consistent with the Liberis constitution in January 2012 and still enjoys the collective confidence as first amongst equal.

The January 13, 2015 resolution also expressed conviction without a molecule of doubt that Speaker Tyler’s astute leadership has reinforced the independence of the House of Representatives and further strengthened the House’s oversight responsibilities to the benefit and growth of the Liberian democracy.

-------------