Monrovia – The chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Mr. Nathaniel McGill, says the parallel session held in the joint chambers by lawmakers claiming to be majority members of the House of Representatives last week Thursday, was illegal and has them asked to return to the recognized chambers.
Report by Henry Karmo [email protected]
Mr. McGill who is currently in the United States told FrontPageAfrica that the decision of the lawmakers was more political than legal, claiming that it has kept the nation at a standstill. He said the CDC has made no decision whether Speaker Tyler should be removed or not.
The CDC chairman has asked the aggrieved lawmakers to use the due process of the law. “Nowhere in the constitution there can be two sessions. People accused should have their day in court— this is a complete distraction. Recusal is voluntary,” he said in a mobile interview from the United States.
Investigating suspension
On the issue of suspended CDC lawmakers, he said the party will investigate where the pronouncement came from and who made such pronouncement because, according to him, there has been no decision made by the party on suspension and in fact there was no meeting held.
“We cannot take a side, if we do that we lose our independence to mediate or bring peace. We want to take a leadership role to mediate especially where the Presidents herself is being accused,” McGill said.
Senator George Weah, political leader of the CDC who is currently out of the country in a telephone interview on a local Talk Show recently said the party has taken no decision to suspend Representatives Acarous Gray, Munah P. Youngblood and Julius Berrian.
He said the executive committee of the CDC is the highest decision making body of the CDC, stating that he has instructed the party’s chairman to issue a statement on the matter. “I am not aware but my concern is the action that was taken on those Lawmakers”.
“I am not aware of my partisans’ suspension. Morlu has no mandate to suspend anybody; it must be to the knowledge of the Executive Committee. The party will come out with a statement”, said Weah.
“I have followed the debate, the executive committee is the highest decision making body. Mr. Mulbah Morlu has no mandate to suspend anyone, it should meet the requirement of the full executive committee members”, Senator Weah said.
The Tyler’s removal saga has sparked an internal rift within the CDC and is likely to tear the party apart for a while.
Prior to Weah’s statement, the CDC held a press conference accordingly backed by the National Executive Committee suspending three of its lawmakers for what the party described as an act of rebellion and defiance.
In the statement read by Mulbah Morlu, Vice Chairman for Operations, CDC stated that it will not leave any stone untouched on those who fall in the party’s web as the 2017 Presidentsial election draws closer.
The party with immediate effect suspended the three lawmakers for two years each for disrespecting the Party mandate.
The three lawmakers including Representative Acarous Gray (District # 8), Munnah Pelham Youngblood (District #9), and Julius Berrian (District #10) were amongst the group of lawmakers that delivered the anti-Tyler petition Tuesday at the Capitol.
From the United States he promised that upon his return the CDC will engage Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to discuss ways to reduce the tension in the country. He described as sad and unfortunate the closure of some media institutions.
The Capitol Building was last week Thursday a scene of interesting happenings as members of the House of Representatives conducted separate sessions.
The huge presence of Police officers from both the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Police Support Unit (PSU) of the Liberian National Police further added weight to the events of the day as the Police searched every individual who entered the compound.
As unusual people trekked to the Capitol Building after it was broadcast on the media that Police officers have taken over the premises of the building. The officers were assigned at each entrance to the wing of the building.
Many of the pro Tyler lawmakers who had gone earlier to attend session were shocked to see the heavy presence of the Police. Some in interviews said despite the strange presence of the Police, it was a good idea for state security to be assigned to protect lawmakers in the wake of the controversies that have overshadowed the workings of the House of Representatives in recent weeks.
Over the past weeks the two groups, (Pro and Anti Tyler) have been claiming that they have the numbers. The anti-Tyler lawmakers are calling for the recusal of the Speaker from presiding in the wake of an indictment against him for his alleged role in a bribery saga as reported by the Global Witness.