MONROVIA – FrontPageAfrica has been reliably informed that Mr. Musa Bility, Representative of Nimba County, has reached out to Senator Price Johnson, requesting his intervention to ensure that one of the candidates in the election for leadership at the legislature backs off to give him a better advantage.
By Henry Karmo [email protected]
According to a reliable source from the camps of Senator Johnson, Mr. Bility has offered a substantial sum of money to the Nimba County Senator to prevail on Representative Samuel Korga of District #5, Nimba County, to back off from the deputy speaker election and allow him (Bility) to contest.
Our source has also informed this paper that Senator Johnson was promised a brand-new four-door Jeep as part of the deal. True to his commitment, Senator Johnson placed a call to Representative Korga, requesting him to drop his ambition to become deputy speaker on the grounds that Korga does not have the support of the 9 Nimba lawmakers.
In response to our inquiry, Representative Korga confirmed that the Nimba Senator had called him on Saturday, December 16, 2023, asking him to back down and allow Representative-elect Musa Bility to go unopposed, but he refused and maintained that he will contest.
Mr. Bility had earlier opted to run for the Speakership position at the House of Representatives until his hopes were shattered by the endorsement of his rival, Mr. Fornati Koffa, who is currently the deputy speaker by the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
Disappointed in the CDC, a party he aligned with throughout the electoral process in 2023, he has opted not to abandon his ambition but has doubled down on running for the position of Deputy Speaker.
As a sign to show strength or pay back the CDC’s rejection of his ambition, Mr. Bility during the weekend endorsed the Unity party candidate, Representative Richard Koon, for the position of Speaker against Koffa and has promised to carry his entire team of more than 20 lawmakers and lawmaker-elect to Koon’s camp.
Representative Samuel Korgar of Nimba District 5, Buyao District, expressed his interest in becoming the next Deputy Speaker two weeks ago. As a third-term lawmaker, he sees himself as best suited for the position based on his experience.
Representative Korgar is currently the chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Commerce and Industry. He is also a strong advocate for struggling Liberian businesses to compete with their foreign counterparts. He recently proposed a law that will institute the necessary checkpoints against foreign businesses.
He is optimistic about becoming the next Deputy Speaker because he is going into the race with a huge constituent vote of 9 districts, second only to Montserrado County. He believes soliciting the nine votes, along with other alliances he has built over the years, will be crucial.
“I have built a relationship of trust with my colleagues, and this is what I need to win the position as Deputy Speaker. I built relationships with colleagues over the years, something that stands out as an advantage for me in my quest to be Deputy Speaker.”
In a Facebook post, Representative Korga said his dream to become a Deputy Speaker was first developed in 2011 after being elected by his people to serve them at the Legislature. He said, as part of the conditions, he was required to have sufficient understanding and experience on the job.
He believes he’s best suited for such a position after twelve (12) years of representation, gaining immense knowledge on the job, proffering and co-sponsoring bills, working with colleagues on critical national issues, advocating on behalf of constituents of the seventy-three (73) electoral districts in Liberia through oversight, lawmaking, and proper representation since their inception.
“We believe in the trust and confidence reposed in us by our colleagues over the years. Having consulted our Nimba Legislative caucus and other members of the 55th, we now officially declare our intention for the Deputy Speaker position. We bring to the table vast experience at the house, integrity, patriotism, demonstrable knowledge of procedures, and admiration from our colleagues.
“Additionally, we have demonstrated over the years to be a good team player, able to work with. We have shown an appetite for hard work, unremitting punctuality, and love for the country.”