At its session on 16 May, The House of Representatives (HoR) voted to suspended the eastern-based Prime Minister of the so-called Government of National Stability, Fathi Bashagha. The suspension is pending an investigation into his performance.
The HoR has replaced Bashagha with his former finance and planning minister, Osama Hammad. Hammad will continue as planning minister.
It is reported that 70 members attended the HoR session and that most of those present voted for Bashagha’s suspension.
There are suggestions of financial as well as administrative mismanagement by Bashagha and his government. However, it is believed that the main reason for his removal was his abject failure to enter Tripoli and takeover as prime minister.
This, critics say, was the only reason the east (Hafter and Ageela Saleh) ‘‘made a deal with the devil’’ and appointed someone from the west of Libya/Misrata as prime minister.
Equally, Aldabaiba outplayed Bashagha and made a deal directly with Hafter – hence pulling the carpet from under Bashagha’s feet. Bashagha became useless and dispensable to Hafter and Ageela Saleh.
