By Evelyn Kpadeh Seagbeh
MONROVIA, Liberia (AA) – The speaker of Liberia’s parliament effectively stepped down on Thursday following months of struggles and divisions in the country’s legislature.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alex Tyler, will no longer preside over plenary sessions.
Thursday’s move follows a Global Witness corruption report released in June this year accusing Tyler and government officials of taking bribes from a British firm, Sable Mining, contravening concession laws and procedures.
The report accuses Tyler of taking thousands of dollars. The Liberian government issued an indictment against the speaker and other officials.
During a news conference on Thursday afternoon at the National Legislature in the capital Monrovia, Tyler said he was not guilty but thought that “the nation is bigger than anyone”.
Tyler also criticized “colleagues [who] have chosen to effectively and glaringly exploit and politicize what is purely a legal matter”.
Since the release of the report, members of the House of Representatives have been divided into two groups.
One group of lawmakers wanted the speaker to recuse himself from presiding while another faction wanted him to remain, pending legal proceedings.
Parliament's situation has generated political tensions for months, bringing normal legislating to a standstill.
The recusal of the speaker now means his deputy, Hans Barchue, takes on Tyler’s task to lead and direct parliament.