By Kemo Cham
The opposition Coalition for Change (C4C) party seems to be in disarray after moves on Monday to change its leadership caucus in parliament backfired.
In a statement issued on Wednesday through its National Secretary General, the party announced the change in its leadership structure in the House, saying it had dropped Saa Emerson Lamina as its caucus leader. But Lamina has rejected the move, calling it “illegal”. He has vowed to stay on.
The statement from the C4C Secretariat named Francis Bhendu of Constituency 027 as the new Caucus leader, to be deputized by Sahr Charles of Constituency 028. Aiah Kassengbama of Constituency 026 and Komba M. Kamanda of Constituency 024 were named as WHIP and Deputy WHIP respectively.
The statement didn’t mention any reason for the decision, but the party’s spokesman, Lawrence Coker, told Politico that the change in leadership was part of a routine by the party. He added that the decision to “remove” Mr Lamina was provoked by his handling of Monday’s parliamentary vote during the approval of the new chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
The appointment of Mohamed Konneh as head of NEC by President Julius Maada Bio was approved by the House on Tuesday, and he was immediately sworn into office on the same day.
Mr Lamina voted in favor of the approval, even though reports indicate that some members of C4C party voted against.
While during the parliamentary debate it appeared that only APC was against the approval of Mr Konneh, the C4C spokesman said the party was also against it, noting that through a statement issued prior to voting they had informed their Members in the House to vote accordingly. He added that Lamina had violated his “oath of allegiance” by voting against the party’s line.
“That was gross indiscipline,” said Coker, in a telephone interview.
“We as a party would not allow any of our members to go against the official party line,” he stressed.
Coker added that the decision of the party reflected the views of their entire membership.
Emerson Lamina rejected the party’s decision when contacted by Politico, describing it as an illegal decision by an “illegal” executive.
“They don’t have the locus standing to remove me,” the Member of Parliament for Constituency 030 told Politico, noting that such a decision should have been taken by the National Coordinating Committee (NCC) of the party which he said was the highest decision-making body.
Lamina said the NCC didn’t take the decision because he could have been part of such a meeting that could have taken it.
Lamina also questioned the legitimacy of the current Executive of the party, saying they should have long gone to congress to renew their mandate, which he said they failed to do. He said they therefore had no mandate to decide on his position.
C4C is the third largest party in the House, with eight seats, all of them from its traditional stronghold of Kono in the eastern region of the country.
Politico learnt that the party has sent two separate correspondences to the parliamentary leadership, formally requesting for the changes to be effected. One of them requested the Clerk to effect changes in various subcommittees.
Lamina said such decisions are administrative, rather than political.
The Clerk of Parliament, Umar Paran Tarawallie, confirmed receiving two correspondences from C4C. He said the party had no say in who served in subcommittees, as that was an administrative decision that fell squarely under his purview.
Tarawallie added that the request for the changes in the party’s leadership in the House should have been addressed to the Speaker, instead of to him, and therefore he couldn’t speak on it.
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