Suspensions Await ‘Rebel’ Representatives By: Martin Blayon Rep. Samuel Kogar Representatives opposed to House Speaker J. Alex Tyler of Bomi County are tipped to be suspended if the final investigation into last Thursday’s fist fight in Chamber is concluded, according to Representative Johnson Toe Chea. The District # 2 Representative of River Gee County said the newly appointed leadership of the Lower House will probe the reasons why Representative Roland Opee Cooper punched his colleague, Representative Adam Bill Corneh, on his head while Speaker Tyler was presiding over the second day sitting of the fourth session. According to him, the House of Representatives is a lawmaking body and as such, the undemocratic act meted against the Bong County Representative by his colleague of District #1 within Margibi County will not be ignored. He argued that legislative politics calls for constructive debate and not violence during sitting in the House’s Chamber at the Capitol Building. The newly appointed Chairman on Health and Social Welfare said the National Legislature is a platform created to make laws, adding that legislators should not be involved into violent acts that have the ability to question the constitutional function of the first branch of the Liberian government. “We as members of the National Legislature should always engage each other through intellectual discourse and not to be seen in fist fight,” he added. He disclosed that the House Plenary will decide who to probe the fist fight situation last Thursday at the Lower House Chamber that spotlighted Representatives Cooper, Samuel Kogar (Nimba County), Henry Fahnbulleh (Montserrado County) and Bill Twehway (Montserrado County) agitating for Speaker Tyler not to preside over the second sitting of the fourth session. Said to be backed by influential Representatives Edwin Snowe of Montserrado County and Emmanuel Nuquay of Margibi County, the aggrieved members of the House of Representatives are insisting that Speaker Tyler recuse himself as presiding officer and submit to the investigation of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC). The agitating Representatives are threatening to prevent President Ellen Johnson-Sirleafs State of the Nation Address if Speaker Tyler remains in office on the fourth working day on Monday, January 26, 2015. In line with Article 58 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, the President has a mandate to report to the National Legislature on the state of the Republic on the fourth working Monday in January of each year. However, lawmakers opposing Speaker Tyler from presiding during session have vowed to remain intransigent and prevent the Liberian leader from delivering her annual message. One of the hardliners, Nimba County Representative Kogar said their action will continue until the Speaker succumbs. The Nimba Representative said except different person presides on that day, were going to prevent the Presidents nationwide address, stressing that he and disenchanted members of the House of Representatives have tried to prevent Speaker Tyler from presiding because of his alleged criminal motive. Seriously, I want to make this very clear that the President of the Republic of Liberia will not be reporting to the people of Liberia on the fourth working Monday with Speaker Tyler seated as presiding officer, he vowed. The Speaker is being pressurized to submit to the LACC following allegation that he used his personal cash to make advanced payment to lawyers for services they rendered in the review of a nationwide oil consultation, to be reimbursed upon receipt of the funds from the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL). The Representatives are claiming that Speaker Tyler lied that at no point in time he received communication from the LACC inviting him for investigation. With the noise in the Lower House, all eyes are set on the outcome of Tuesday’s sitting.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 20:32:10 +0000
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