Speaker Tyler excepts to Supreme Court

House Speaker Alex Tyler has frowned on decision by the Supreme Court of Liberia to place an injunction on the certification of three elected senators. The Supreme Court late Friday evening issued an injunction on the certification of the three individuals in response to protest filed by contenders, who felt cheated.

Counselor Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County, Morris Saytumah of Bomi County and Tornolah Wamba of Margibi County were recently declared winners in the respective counties by the National Elections Commission. But they were Saturday denied certification by the Supreme Court.

Speaker Tyler, who spoke with reporters following the certification of 12 of the 15 senators-elect, described the Court’s decision as a bad precedence for the country’s democracy. 

He argued that it was necessary for people who may expressed dissatisfaction over election results to follow rules of the electoral commission that state the political matters should be left with politicians, noting that interference by the Supreme Court, which is the highest decision making body in the land in matter that could be handled by the electoral body is sad.

Meanwhile, a seasoned Liberian lawyer, Counselor Theophilus C. Gould, says he is taken aback by Speaker Tyler’s open criticism of the Supreme Court’s decision.

Cllr. Gould described the Speaker’s open outburst as an affront to the highest Court, which could put the lawmaker in serious trouble.

According to him, Speaker Tyler could be held in contempt for publically criticizing the decision of the Supreme Court.

By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr