As Uncertainty Lingers in the Lower Legislature, A National, International Embarrassment Looms
EMBATTLED HOUSE Speaker Alex Jenekah Tyler missed a glowing opportunity Tuesday to recuse himself from proceedings in the body which he heads.
ADDRESSING A NEWS CONFERENCE Tuesday, Speaker Tyler said: “We will go according to the constitution and law, you heard the tape and I am sure most of you know the voices you heard on the tape the other day that is clear. This is our country we are not going to play games with it. I have been here 11 years if my colleagues say they cannot work with me for the remaining 1 year in a proper way I will give way but once it is induced and influenced I will not do so it will be a wrong precedent”.
SPEAKER TYLER’S NEWS conference was held a short while after the completion of sessions by both his pro-Tyler group of lawmakers and that of the anti-Tyler bloc.
BEFORE THE NEWS CONFERENCE, the physical number of lawmakers that attended the session presided over by Speaker Tyler showed a reduction from his previous 36 to 32 as two more lawmakers deflected.
THE HEAD OF THE RULES, Orders and Administration Committee of the House of Representatives, Representative Byron J. Brown a onetime strong supporter of Tyler had gone the other way, much to the surprise of the Tyler bloc.
A PRO TYLER LAWMAKER ALEX Grant of Grand Gedeh County refuted on public radio that lawmaker Brown had deflected from the Tyler camp and despite a mobile call by Representative Brown on the talk show, Grant still insisted that the voice was not that of his colleague.
“THAT VOICE IS NOT HONORABLE Brown, I cannot believe that he is no longer supporting Speaker Tyler, until I can see him with my eyes, I can’t believe it” , lawmaker Grant said while he was serving as one of four studio discussants on a talk show.
THE TALK SHOW HOST INSISTED that Lawmaker Brown make his way to the radio station in person to convince Representative Grant that he (Brown) was no longer a supporter of Speaker Tyler.
“I AM HERE, HONORABLE GRANT, I am no longer on the Tyler side, I am a political prisoner and I am on the other side now”, said Representative Brown. A bewildered lawmaker Grant exclaimed in disbelief at what he was hearing from his trusted pro-Tyler colleague.
AS LAWMAKER GRANT WAS so shocked to see a strong Tyler supporter deflecting, so Speaker Tyler must now come to understand that there is time for everything and his 11- year leadership of the House of Representatives must come to an end, no matter the process through which it is done.
EVEN FORMER LAWMAKERS TOOK to the radio to offer their experiences with legislative politics especially regarding the removal of Speaker, looking back at the days of Edwin M. Snowe who was removed and replaced with the now embattled Tyler.
BOTH RUFUS NEUFVILLE AND Edwin Juah explained how they failed to rescue Snowe from the group of lawmakers that wanted him (Snowe) out.
LIKE THE SITUATION OF REPRESENTATIVE Brown, former lawmaker Neufville said the number will keep dropping gradually until it will later be realized that the battle is lost.
“SPEAKER TYLER WILL HAVE to be careful, the lawmakers with the tongues of snakes, they will say, Speaker we will fight. In these critical times the only weapon you have to fight is to convince your colleagues to come on your side. There is no way you can win with the minority”, said former lawmaker Neufville.
WITH ALL THE GLARING UNFOLDING events, it is clear that Speaker Tyler has lost in this battle and should rather avoid the situation of holding the whole country hostage by listening to the demand of his colleagues.
WHEN SPEAKER TYLER WAS preparing for his news conference, some journalists even jumped at the conclusion that he was about to announce his resignation only for the Speaker to deliver a defiant statement.
WITHOUT CALM AT THE HOUSE of Representatives, the Liberian Senate is also not performing its duties since any work by the Senate will require the concurrence of the House of Representatives.
SPEAKER TYLER’S DEFIANT statement comes in the wake of recent meetings with stakeholders including the United States Ambassador to Liberia and the Traditional Council of Liberia.
THESE TALKS ACCORDING TO sources have not been pleasing to Speaker Tyler, but he is still holding on putting up a strong posture against the growing majority lawmakers.
ELEVEN YEARS IS SUFFICIENT for Speaker Tyler to occupy such high profile position and if his colleagues no longer enjoy his confidence, he should do the prudent thing by steeping aside for the sake of harmony at the House of Representatives.
