Liberia: Early Impeachments Call for Boakai

27 February 2024

Controversial Montserrado County Electoral District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah has joined forces with opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker Frank Saah Foko in pushing a bill to impeach President Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

CDC-controlled House of Representatives is due to entertain the petition for Boakai's impeachment. The instrument is drafted and sponsored by Mr. Foko, Representative for Montserrado County Electoral District #9 and it is co-sponsored by Mr. Kolubah.

During the just-ended 2023 presidential election, Kolubah supported President Boakai's bid for the presidency.

But he suddenly began displaying hate for Boakai's style of leadership even before the 79-year-old was sworn into office on 22 January 2024.

Last year, Kolubah led the accusation that then President-elect Boakai was corrupt because he did not disclose the source of LD$10m he had given to fire victims of the Bong County tanker explosion.

He has since demonstrated through his incessant verbal attacks against Mr. Boakai that they are no longer on any good political terms.

It seems Kolubah now finds comfort aligning with Boakai's main opposition CDC to do business, judging from his rushed efforts to dethrone a president he helped to bring to power less than two months in office.

In their petition, Kolubah and his CDC ally Foko have accused Boakai of "poor leadership management skills and constitutional violation."

Rep. Foko was interviewed by journalists while on an inspection tour of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA).

In that interview, Foko said his communication is expected to be entertained on the flow of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 27 February 2024 for President Boakai's impeachment.

Within the space of one month, Foko alleged that President Boakai has given enough reasons and proven to the Liberian people that he is incapable of providing leadership direction for the Liberian people.

Foka claimed that Boakai's leadership is very poor, stating that he performed dismally in his first month in office and therefore he should not continue to lead for the next six years.

He accused Boakai of disrespecting the Constitution of Liberia by appointing individuals to tenured positions when the terms of officials there have not yet expired.

According to Foko, nobody expects this from President Boakai who claimed to have served as Vice President for twelve years and has over forty years of government experience.

"President Boakai has convinced us in the space of one month that he can't steer the affairs of this country and so he has to go," said Foko.

"We have work with our lawyers in drafting and by today it will be on the flow."

For his part, controversial Representative Kolubah said he supports an impeachment bill against President Boakia, adding that it's time he is the shortest-serving Liberian President.

"I am standing with a representative and I support the bill which is expected to be heard today calling for the President's impeachment," said Kolubah.

"The President has gone against the Constitution and the Code of Conduct, therefore, we are using that to make him the shortest [serving]-President in Liberia's history through impeachment," he noted.

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