Tyler complains

After he was booted out of office in September, former speaker Alex Tyler for the first time attended session on Wednesday, 31 November with complaint that he has no office to sit in.  The Bomi County Representative was on Wednesday seen busy making calls on his cellphone while session was actively in progress.

However, following session he told Legislative reporters that since his removal as speaker, his successor Speaker Emmanuel Nuquay has allegedly failed to provide him office an space thus, leaving him with no alternative but to operate outside the grounds of the Capitol Building.

Tyler, who faces criminal indictment here along with other officials, said he was elected to represent the people of Clay District, Bomi County and not as speaker, adding that since his colleagues took the decision to remove him, he will continue his duty as lawmaker and work with the new administration.
The indicted lawmaker, who did not stand for the interview, but continued climbing the stairs of the Capitol Building, disclosed that he has taken a private office somewhere to perform his legislative functions until he can be provided an official office.

But Representative Edwin Melvin Snowe, who led the campaign to oust Tyler, and is now a ranking officer in the Nuquay administration, told the media a month ago the former speaker had be relocated on the ground floor of the Capitol Building.

Tyler had earlier rescued himself as Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives under serious pressure, and was subsequently ousted as Speaker through a resolution signed by 49 lawmakers (two-third majority) of the 73 members of the House of Representatives.

The 49 lawmakers’ action was in keeping with Article 49 of the Constitution of Liberia which provides the process through which the speaker of that body can be removed. Article 49 of the Constitution states: “The House of Representatives shall elect once every six years a Speaker who shall be the presiding officer of that body, a Deputy Speaker and such other officers as shall ensure the proper functioning of the House.

The Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and other officers so elected may be removed from office for cause by resolution of two-thirds majority of the members of the House.”

Editing by Jonathan Browne