Representative Yekeh Kolubah Declines Speakership Bid, Supports Bility Over Koon, Labeling US Sanctions as Deliberate.

Representative Yekeh Kolubah has announced the abrupt withdrawal of his candidacy for the speakership position at the 55th Legislature. Kolubah emphasized the critical need for transparent communication with the Liberian populace regarding legislative proceedings.

Having initially eyed the speakership role, Kolubah opted to support Musa Hassan Bility and cautioned against endorsing Representative Richard Koung due to Koung's purported lack of vocal advocacy during the passage of the Liberian Budget, despite being perceived as a financial expert.

Expressing concern over lawmakers pursuing positions for the substantial budgets allotted to them annually, Kolubah highlighted his steadfast commitment to pinpointing flaws within the Boakai-Koung Administration. He clarified the conclusion of his affiliation with the Unity Party Standard Bearer.

During an extensive press conference over the weekend, Kolubah articulated his stance against misuse of government resources, urging the incoming Unity Party administration to uphold equal justice. Notably, he retracted his intention to contest the speakership, citing observations that many vie for the position due to its financial allure.

“I hereby officially decline my intention to contest for the speakership position. Over the past few weeks, my observations have led me to the realization that individuals are solely vying for this position due to the substantial budget associated with it," Kolubah stated during a press conference.

Additionally, Kolubah raised his viewpoint on the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Asset Control sanctions imposed on Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee, deeming them long overdue.

The sanctions were issued against Koijee, a senior figure in the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) party, for alleged involvement in human rights abuses and instigating violence. The OFAC attributed Koijee's associations with paramilitary-style groups to disrupt government critics or opposition activities and accused him of corrupt practices, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets.

Recently the department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 20 individuals for their connection to human rights abuse in nine countries in the world including Liberia labeling Monrovia City Major, Jefferson Koijee who is a senior leader in the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) political party for stoking violence.

The group stated in a release that Major Koijee who controls paramilitary-style organizations associated with the CDC allegedly recruits former combatants and recently released prisoners. OFAC believes that Koijee has instructed these organizations to violently disrupt demonstrations conducted by government critics or political opposition. 

OFAC said Koijee and his supporters have allegedly been involved in violence in connection with an opposition rally in July 2022, students attending a memorial service for former Liberian president Amos Sawyer in March 2022, an anti-rape protest in August 2020, a student graduation ceremony in December 2019, and an opposition rally in November 2018.

Koijee has also engaged in corrupt acts, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets for use by private political movements and pressuring anti-corruption investigators to halt corruption investigations.

He is being designated for being a foreign person who is responsible for or complicit in, or who has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse and for being a foreign person who is a current or former government official, or a person acting for or on behalf of such an official, who is responsible for or complicit in, or who has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery under E.O. 13818.

Representative Kolubah stated that these sanctions, while important, could potentially weaken the opposition's stance under the Boakai and Koung government in the upcoming 2024 elections thus calling on the US government to also sanction him.

Representative Kolubah voiced concerns that these sanctions might potentially undermine the opposition's stance against the Boakai and Koung government in the upcoming 2024 elections. He called upon the U.S. government to extend similar sanctions to himself, highlighting the need for parity in accountability.