Monrovia – House Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay acceptance to contest as running mate to Vice President Joseph Boakai, Standard Bearer of the ruling Unity Party (UP) could place him in a similar situation as his predecessor Alex Tyler as some of his colleagues have made an outcry over his latest decision.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
“There is strong distrust in his ability to reunite the legislature and such action demonstrates his administrative ineptitude to run the legislature.
Specifically, he promised the Liberian people he will unite and bring dignity the legislature and for the fact that his action has brought disunity to the legislature he must be removed on the basis of administrative ineptitude that was a commitment.” – Representative Moses Acarous Gray (CDC, District 8, Montserrado)
Some of the Nuquay colleagues are already beginning to shake his current role in the Unity Party; one of them is the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) Acarous Gray who accused the Speaker of being deceitful and evil.
Gray stated on his Facebook page stated: “You are very deceitful but watch and see what next. We’re very evil and you will be fought and get ready for your final demise Rep. Nuquay.”
In a telephone interview with this paper, Rep. Gray accused Rep. Nuquay of betraying the trust of those who supported him to be Speaker to take over from former Speaker Alex Tyler.
Gray said: “There is strong distrust in his ability to reunite the legislature and such action demonstrates his administrative ineptitude to run the legislature.
Specifically, he promised the Liberian people he will unite and bring dignity the legislature and for the fact that his action has brought disunity to the legislature he must be removed on the basis of administrative ineptitude that was a commitment.
“It is not a quest to remove him but one that is intended to ask him to recuse himself as someone who has presided over the budget and appointed the presiding officer on the budget we are afraid that the budget will be tampered with.”
Rep. Gray said, Rep. Nuquay action is not only destructive, greedy but one that shows disrespect to those of his colleagues who stood by him to be speaker.
According to Gray he (Nuquay) committed himself to the people of Liberia that the Unity party is not a good regime and he established the people Unification Party (PUP).
“He personally stated to me that Joseph Boakai is not a good man who did nothing to bring him (Nuquay) to the table to make him speaker.
“His presiding over the session as a result of his desperation has demonstrated his inability to unite the House of Representative.
His action to accept running mate has demonstrated maximum disunited and contradicted his stand that he would have unified, and reconcile the legislature and not to divide but his action was contrary,” he added.
When Nuquay took over as Speaker he acknowledged taking over a divided House of Representatives and promised to work to unify members of the House of Representatives to promote national growth and development.
“Our vision is to work with the Executive branch of government to finish the unfinished businesses to enhance development in the country.”
Speaker Nuquay was quoted as saying at the time of being selected Speaker: “As a legislature, we want to build our legislative bloc to please you our electorates.
And we are also aware that you expect nothing from us outside development.” Speaker Nuquay became Speaker of the 53rd Legislature on a white ballot, replacing removed Speaker Alex Tyler.
Late Monday evening, he was named by Boakai at the headquarters of the Unity Party as his running mate in the October 2017 election.
His nomination as vice standard bearer of the Unity Party comes as no surprise, as his name was widely speculated in the last few days before the formal unveiling.
In response to his selection, Speaker Nuquay began by providing Biblical reference to show how thankful he was and described the preferment as a huge moment and huge transition for him.
Speaker Nuquay said: “My family and I are humbled by this decision. I am quite aware that it took many considerations before you could arrive at this decision in a country of over four million people; that your search for a running mate landed at my door steps and for the time my family and I will be on earth we will be a loyal supporter to you.
“At this point, I am aware that not only Liberia or Liberians but the world is watching to see what a Kpelleh man, 48 years of age, brings to the table but through prayers, I am convinced that our quality and dedication will show through.”
Speaker Nuquay did not fall short of recognizing the role played by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for what he said is her astute leadership of the country that has laid a platform for many young people to shine.
He also recognized the effort made by the people of his district for the opportunity to serve as their lawmaker since 2005.