Bility Promises Sweeping Reforms, Respected Legislature -Vows to Support Boakai’s Agenda as 55th Leg. Speaker

MONROVIA: As the dust finally settles from the hotly contested October 10, 2023 presidential and legislative elections which saw 48 lawmakers losing their seats to a host of newly elected lawmakers, the race for the coveted Speaker position within the 55^th National Legislature has started to gain momentum. Taking the bull by the horn, Nimba County District #7 Representative-elect Musa Hassan Bility has thrown his hat in the race, vowing to not only work with his colleagues in the Lower House to champion legislative reforms, but would ensure the legislature works harmoniously with the presidency to ensure that the vision, mission and agenda of the Boakai administration are fully supported.

Supporting Boakai’s mandate

Declaring his intention during a widely syndicated podcast on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, Representative-elect Bility seized the opportunity to effusively congratulate President-elect Joseph Nyuma and Vice President-elect Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung for their victory.

“And I also want to give this special congratulation to the out-going president George Weah. Your decision to concede defeat in the midst of a tight and highly contested election, might have saved our country from chaos. History will remember you. We hope your example will always serve to guide our democracy in the future.

“To our incoming president, we want to congratulate you, but most importantly, we want to assure you and your government of our cooperation in the cause of the Liberian people. We do this knowing that your election marks a new beginning in the context of our democracy – a new beginning for our people, for our people, for all of us. It also shows that you have a much bigger challenge as a president. But we believe with your wisdom, you will face that challenge, and you will live up to the challenge of keeping our country together, keeping our democracy alive, the challenge of appreciating and understanding the decision of the Liberian people.

“This election has shown more than one thing. But that it is showing is that you come as president to a country that is clearly deeply divided; therefore, it is the moral obligation of all of us to support you, to support your agenda, and to understand and appreciate that you have received the mandate of the Liberian people; and therefore, with that mandate, it becomes the obligation of all of elected to support you and stand with you.

“Along with that mandate came another mandate, which was, the result of this election shows that the Liberian people have chosen you as their president, and the Unity Party Alliance as the President and the Party to lead us into the future. It has also shown that the Liberian people chose a legislature clearly intended to keep a balance of power alive, and to keep the spirit of our democracy alive. That decision shows that the makeup of the current legislature is intended to keep our democracy stable and to ensure that the division that has been shown in the outcome will be used by the leaders to build our country based on consensus, negotiation and understanding that Liberia is first,” Representative-elect Bility stated with conviction.

Bility’s Vision as 55^th Legislature Speaker

Openly declaring his intention to run as House Speaker in January, Representative-elect Bility said the decision came about following months of consultations with 20 of his colleagues who came together to ask him to contest the speakership of the House of Representatives.

“I have consulted my people from District # 7 Nimba County, I have consulted the people of Nimba County, I have consulted the leadership of the CPP, I have consulted the Bility Movement that elected me, and I have also consulted my family most importantly. And after these consultations, and after listening to my colleagues, I have graciously accepted their call for me to contest the speakership of the 55^th legislature.

“I do so, knowing that the Liberian people were very clear that they did not approve the actions and the decisions of those before us, that is why 48 of them were rejected by the Liberian people. That 48 sent a signal to the Liberian people that the incoming legislators had been given sufficient mandate to change the way the legislature is run, and to change public perception of legislative leadership.

“I have reviewed for some time now the functions of the legislature. I have taken my time, and appreciated that at the Lower House it is time to change how the Lower House is governed. As at today, the Speaker carries all of the authority vested in the management of the Lower House. Under my administration, we will change those rules as required by the Constitution, to ensure that the leadership of the Liberian House of Representatives is democratic, consultative, and is no longer a one-man leadership.

“We will ensure for the election of the full leadership of the entire House, and we will also ensure accountability, transparency of our decision-making process.

“The legislature and the legislator are not meant to create obstacles for the Executive; they are meant to provide support and guidance. Under our leadership, we will do that. We will work with the president, knowing that he has been chosen to represent and lead this country as the head of state of our country. And therefore, we will work with his mission and his vision to make sure that the interest of our country is kept alive; to make sure that the legislature functions as per the Constitution; to oversee the functions of the Executive and the Judiciary; to also ensure that the dignity of the Legislature is restored, and that the Capitol Building becomes a place of lawmaking, not a place of loitering; and that lawmakers will be respected, but knowing fully well that respect is something that you have to have for yourself before you can expect it from somebody. We will dignify the House, we will work with our partners, local and international, to ensure that every decision of the Legislature is transparent and is good for the Liberian people.

“We will ensure that the budget is felt throughout the 73 districts in Liberia; and that the people of Liberia will have connection with the National Budget. We will work with the President to achieve his agenda, at the same time to ensure that those that he will appoint to execute his duty, his mission and his vision, are doing so in accordance with our Constitution and in accordance with our law.

“I will work with my colleagues to ensure that we reform our Constitution. Top on my agenda will be a reduction in the tenure of the legislature and the presidency. Also, we have come close to calamity from our election because our election laws are bad. We will work with our colleagues to reform our election laws, to make sure that we have laws that are modern and at the same time that reflect the modern-day decision-making process.

“We will work with our partners to make sure that Liberia is once again counted. The legislature is not a police entity, moving from door to door, knocking at ministries and agencies doors. Its responsibility is to provide oversight and to call on government officials where necessary to account for their work. We will make sure that this happens.

“At this time, we want everyone, both in the Executive and everyone else, to allow us legislators to make the decision to choose our leaders. The Liberian people are very clear. They have decided that the president will lead the country; and that the legislature is diverse, and that diversity must be reflected in the leadership it has,” Bility vowed.

A Budget That Reflects the People’s wish

Delving into the issue of the national budget, Bility said his administration would ensure that the people’s views and aspirations are reflected in the budget making and execution processes, something that has been lacking in the past, evidenced by the huge public outcries that usually attend fiscal budget formulation and execution.

“We will also try to have an inclusive leadership that will allow us to involve everybody in the decision-making process as per the law. We will ensure there will be transparency and accountability. We will build cross-party alliances which will make sure that every political party and independent groups within the legislature are incorporated in the decision-making process. We will engage the media and civil society. Without them, you do not have a lawful society. To discourage a lawless society, we will ensure that the civil society and the media play their role, and we will provide them the support they need to have. We will encourage professional development and we will ensure the international community supports our country. Our budget will reflect the views and aspirations of our people, and that as Speaker of the 55^th Legislature, you will have a new legislature, you will have a new leadership, and you will have a new country where the legislature will no longer be seen as a place where no respect is given to that body.

“And so, today I announce my decision to stand for the Speakership position, having studied and appreciated the fact that we have the number to win this election. We have evaluated our position, we spoke with our colleagues, we have taken into consideration their views and aspirations, and we are confident that come January 15, we will be the leader of the 55^th Legislature. Thank you and God bless Liberia,” Representative-elect Bility stated emphatically.