The Political leader of the Democratic National Allegiance (DNA), William W. Tuider says galvanizing support through bribery for a speaker’s removal is dishonest, unethical, and definitely illegal.
The opposition political leader said it is clear that some members of the House have been bribed by people who are resentful by the Speaker’s work, or his enemies who just want to seek his downfall.
He reminded them that Article 49 of the constitution state that, the “House of Representatives of Liberia shall elect once every six years their Speaker and other officers; and the Speaker as the presiding officer of the House.”
It also states that the House shall have the sole power of impeachment and remove from office the Speaker and other officers from office by resolution of a two-thirds majority of the members of the House.
Tuider said it is unclear to the Liberian people as to what Speaker Fonati Koffa has done that warrant his removal from office thereby surmising that the situation surrounding Speaker Koffa raises serious concerns about the potential manipulation of political processes through bribery.
He said in as much as the House has the right to remove the Speaker from office for whatever reasons it sees fit, it must be done without quid pro quo especially bribery pointing out that bribery only serves the cause of House’s members and not the Liberian people.
“It’s crucial for public trust that allegations of corruption are investigated thoroughly. I am therefore calling on President Boakai to instruct the Ministry of Justice to carry out a full investigation of House members who took bribes, and the people behind the bribery to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the DNA’s Political Leader expressed.
He reiterated that addressing corruption is vital for fostering a stable and progressive society adding, “The Liberian people deserve a government that not only condemns unethical practices but also actively works to eradicate them.”
Tuider said it is therefore incumbent of the government to take extreme measures in fighting and prosecuting corruption to effectively ending the culture of impunity noting, “Corruption has been a cancer on our society and we need to aggressively fight this disease that has been a killer of progress for the Liberian people.”
He emphasized that in order to tackling these issues head-on, the government must demonstrate its commitment to serving the interests of the people and creating a fairer political environment by promoting transparency and holding individuals accountable can help rebuild faith in public institutions and encourage civic engagement.
