Libya ended up on Sunday night with two prime ministers after Abdullah Al-Thinni refused to recognise the legality of Ahmed Maetig’s election by 121 members of Congress this afternoon and the First Deputy President of Congress, Ezzidden Al-Awami instructed him to remain in office.
In a letter to Thinni, published on the Prime Minister’s website, Awami said that in the only session of Congress that was constitutionally legal, Maetig had gained 113 votes – insufficient for him to become prime minister. Consequently, Thinni was to remain in post until such time as Congress voted for a new prime minister in accordance with the Constitutional Declaration of 2011.
“We only deal with formal letters sent to us from the GNC,” the Prime Minister’s spokesman, Ahmed Lamin told the Libya Herald. “The First Deputy [President of Congress] has sent us a formal letter saying that the election of Maetig did not reach the required number of 120 votes and that accordingly Thinni was to continue in office until the General National Congress issued a legal decision about appointing a new Prime Minister.”
Awami had chaired the early session of Congress today that saw Maetig garner 113 votes. He then closed the proceeding. They were then reopened, illegally he claims, by the Second Deputy President, Saleh Makhzoum, and the second vote held in which Maerig gained 121 votes.
With Congress now split wide open and is likely to be held in even higher disdain than ever by the Libyan public.
Moutaz Ali
http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/05/04/libya-has-two-prime-ministers/#ixzz313kBcsuu
