Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has learnt that a confidence crisis between the Executive and some members of the House of Representatives is stalling alleged efforts by both parties to succeed in the ousting of Alex Tyler as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
According to legislative sources who spoke to this paper in confidence, lawmakers leading the campaign have received unspecified amount of money from the executive on behalf of their colleagues but have pocketed it for personal use.
“There is a confidence crisis between them and the President right now,” said a highly placed legislative source.
“The President has given them money but she is not seeing anything happening so she has decided to do it herself. She is calling lawmakers individually and asking them to join her to unseat the speaker.”
Sources have also told this paper that the resolution to remove the speaker is gradually but slowly gaining momentum but lawmakers are skeptical about affixing their signatures to the document.
Those who have signed have been reportedly promised support for re-election by the president. For others whose paths seem gloomy, it is the best chance to get re-elected.
According to our legislative sources, the solicitation of signatures is intended to remove the Bomi County lawmaker over his alleged involvement in the Global Witness bribery scandal. It is also reported that lawmakers have been meeting regularly to maneuver the removal of the Speaker.
Fifty-two signatures, amounting to over two-third of the total members of the House are needed to sign a resolution to unseat Speaker Tyler but some lawmakers are still skeptical to join the movement to remove him.
Despite the skepticisms, close allies of the Speaker and few other lawmakers are playing a “blind role” in the saga, and unenthusiastically joining the speaker’s bloc for fear of a reprisal from Speaker Tyler if plans to unseat him fail.
He was indicted for the alleged crimes of criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation, and criminal facilitation, amongst others.
But the Liberian Speaker sometimes ago accused President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of financially inducing some lawmakers (which he did not name) to remove him.