Monrovia – Indicted Speaker of the House of Representatives, J. Alex Tyler is facing assault from two fronts-one from the court and now another at home with more calls from his fellow lawmakers for him to recuse himself from presiding over proceedings at the House of Representatives until his indictment is resolved.
“Our rules also call on us to be above reproach when it comes to corruption issues and if there is a cloud and not just mere allegation, but an indictment.
So, I thought it would have been befitting for him to recuse himself but he hasn’t done that and there is no law to prevent him. And if people so desired, and there is a vote on it, I will vote in favor of that decision”-Edwin Snowe, Member, House of Representatives, Montserrado County
It first started with two lawmakers, Samuel Kogar of Nimba County and Gabriel Smith of Grand Bassa County who called for the speaker to stop presiding over plenary deliberations due to an indictment against him by the state for criminal offences.
Speaker Tyler is indicted along with Senator Varney Sherman, and others on charges of economic sabotage, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and others.
The number of lawmakers increased when Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker Acarous Gray expressed that it is just a matter time for the Speaker to recuse himself or face the wrath of his colleagues, saying the Speaker should now be in jail rather than presiding on legislative activities.
Lawmaker Gray told FrontPageAfrica recently “I know it is a matter of time speaker Tyler will recuse himself I can guarantee you.
Speaker Tyler is indicted why if they put handcuff on his hands and he files a bond the bond is denied and he is placed behind bars like Gyude Bryant you expect him to preside over us?”
Another lawmaker says the option to remove Speaker Tyler is still opened, insisting that to do so, it only requires signatories of lawmakers.
Representative Wesseh Blamo (UP-Grand Kru County) told FPA last week “Participating in impeachment activities is optional either the person agrees or don’t agree if they don’t the only thing you do is to find signatures to remove him. People who want Tyler to recuse himself should get the signatures needed for that”.
Renewed Threats
Speaker Tyler who has survived numerous attempts to oust him from the lucrative position seems to be losing more loyalists as Montserrado County Representative Edwin Snowe, Jr. (UP-District #6) has called on the Speaker to recuse himself from presiding over session until an end to the Global Witness corruption allegation currently in court.
The lawmaker has taken his stance for Speaker Tyler to recuse himself further by writing a communication to the plenary of the body.
He has threatened to take the lower House to court if plenary does not give his communication on a constitutional violation the attention it requires.
Representative Snowe, a former Speaker and onetime strong ally of Speaker Tyler during his days as Chairman of the Committee on Rules, Order and Administration, has accused his colleagues of violating a provision of the Liberian constitution regarding quorum and roll call during every session day.
Article 33 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution states: “A simple majority of each House shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but at a lower number may adjourn from day to day and compel the attendance of absent members.”
Suspending Rules
On last Thursday, Representative George S. Mulbah of Bong County filed a motion for the House of Representatives to use a quorum for one sitting as the same number of lawmakers present for period of one suspending roll call during every plenary session for the stated period.
The Bong County lawmaker has repeatedly argued that lawmakers are masters of their own rules and can suspend if need be.
But in an interview with legislative reporters, Representative Snowe described the action of his colleagues to bypass roll call as unconstitutional, saying it is a deliberate attempt.
The Standing Rules of the House of Representatives give that body the power to suspend the rules in the instance they find it fit and necessary to carry out normal legislative business on a specific issue.
Despite Representative Snowe’s quest to ensure that Speaker Tyler recuse himself from presiding, he admitted that there is no law calling for the Speaker to step aside in the case of an indictment.
“I am not going to secretly discuss this issue,” he says. “I was clear on the radio—I asked the Speaker publicly to recuse himself from presiding. I think it is only prudent for him to do that and I will say again there is no law that prevents the speaker from presiding if he is indicted”, said the Lawmaker.
Representative Snowe added “But our rules also call on us to be above reproach when it comes to corruption issues and if there is a cloud and not just mere allegation, but an indictment.
So, I thought it would have been befitting for him to recuse himself but he hasn’t done that and there is no law to prevent him. And if people so desired, and there is a vote on it, I will vote in favor of that decision.”
In 2014, Representative Snowe, Emmanuel Nuquay, Samuel Korgar, and Henry Fahnbulleh amongst others were victims of a failed attempt to remove speaker Tyler over a US$25K allegation involving payment for legal fees for nationwide oil consultations by the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL).
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) commenced investigation into US$25,000 payment from the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) for legal services provided to the National Legislature for nationwide Oil Consultation.
The payment became questionable when the amount paid by the oil company turned out to be much higher than what was actually received by the lawyer who provided the legal service.
The LACC subsequently made arrests with Speaker Alex Tyler, Representative Adolf Lawrence and others at the core of an investigation along with the lawyer, Cllr. Michael N. Allison.
Within the scope of two months, the LACC investigation became the most contentious issue at the time, leading a group of lawmakers to demand the Speaker to step aside from presiding until the matter could come to an end and his name cleared.
Representative Snowe and others were made to write letters of apologies after they disrupted session, nearly leading to a fistfight amongst lawmakers who were divided and found themselves in different camps.
Peaceful his time around
However, this time Rep. Snowe has promised to carry out a peaceful process within the confines of the law, void of violence.
He also promised to put forth a communication on the floor of plenary on Thursday, complaining about violation of the constitution and has also threatened to run to the court if his communication is defeated.
Many believe that the speaker has over the years built himself a stronger bloc which appears very difficult to crumble.
Speaker Tyler harbors a huge political ambition with an eye on contesting the presidency of Liberia in the 2017 general and presidential elections, which makes the character of the man purportedly contemplating a presidential run a big deal.
He has officially joined a new political party the Liberia Democratic Party (LPD) where he is believed to be bankrolling the party and serving as its political leader.
Henry Karmo (0886522495) [email protected]