Liberian Lawmakers Abandon For NEC Candidate Nomination Process

Monrovia – Members of the House of Representatives Tuesday, July 11, 2017, failed to conduct regular session a day after Vice President Joseph Boakai picked House Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay as his running mate.

Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]

The clerk of the House Secretariat recorded 17 members who were present in the day’s session –  a number far below two-thirds required for a quorum to conduct the regular session.

It is believed that the bulk of the absence members of the House including Speaker Nuquay had gone to do the SKD Sports Complex in fulfillment of the National Elections Commission candidate nomination process.

Other sources also told FPA that the lawmakers abandoned session to visit the newly picked running mate, Speaker Nuquay.

A lawmaker who didn’t want to be named told FPA,“The lawmakers probably didn’t come to session today because they had gone to celebrate with the Speaker upon his selection as running mate to the Joseph Boakai.

It is a shame how they will leave the work of the Liberian people, for which they are paid from taxpayers’ money to go and merry make on a working day.”

When contacted Mr. Isaac Redd, Director of Press said, he wasn’t aware why such numbers of lawmakers were absent: “I wouldn’t know but they will be encouraged to attend Thursday,” he said.

In June in addition to endorsements from 19 senators, the Unity Party standard bearer and Vice President Joseph Boakai received an endorsement from 33 members of the House of Representatives.

The endorsements, according to the lawmaker, was to give confidence to the campaign process of VP Boakai who is contesting in the 2017 elections to replace his boss Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to whom he has served as Vice President for 11 years.

The group under the banner “Like Minded Representatives” through their spokesman, Representative Prince Moye (UP-District 5 Bong County) told this paper that decision on how much money in donations to the VP campaign was still being finalized.

Lawmakers who endorsed the VP include Prince Moye (UP-District-#2 Bong County), Edward Karfiah (PUP-District #5 Bong County), Tokpah Mulbah (PUP-District #1 Bong County), Corpu G. Barclay (UP-District # Bong County) and Haja Fata Siryon (IND-District#3-Bomi County).

Others include; Malai Gbogar (PUP-District#@-Gbapolu County), S. Gayah Karmo (IND-District #1 Bomi County), Gertrude Lamin (UP-District #3 Gbapolu County), Mary Karwor (UP-District #2 Grand Bassa County), and Roland Opee Cooper (PUP- District #1 Margibi County) amongst others.

At the endorsement VP Boakai warned those who held the firm notion that lawmakers are incapable of translating their support to votes to think twice because, according to him, lawmakers are not people to look down upon, citing them as a representation of the people.

However, the looming fear which remains is many of the current incumbents in the 52nd Legislature may suffer a similar fate as those from the 51st who were booted out.

“If I were a smart person and maybe want to throw an advice I will say – again for the interest of people who want to do their choping I would have said to other people cut your losses but please let them go out and give to you the money and eat.”

“19 Senators plus 31 will give you 50, over hundred three will give you 48%. I want to thank those in confidence who are part of this process but don’t want to be seen.”

“I read an article calling our lawmakers thieves; this is the kind of freedom we have always supported because every time you get free from one thing, you are a slave to the other so we are now free to a society of disrespect to our leaders.

“With 48 percent of the lawmakers and multiply by the number of people who voted for them that are their followers telling you this is the way to go if I were in the position of the others I will think twice.”