Kogar Terms His Suspension As Illegal And Opposes PUP’s Support To Weah
PHOTO: PUP embattled Chairman Kogar on Capitol Hill
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Weeks after some members of the People’s Unification Party (PUP) passed a resolution backing the re-election bid of President George Manneh Weah of the ruling CDC in the October 10 election, the suspended Chairman of PUP, Representative Samuel Kogar has furthered his challenging by filing a lawsuit at the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Justice in Chambers, Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has now put a stay order on his recent suspension.
Late April, PUP’s National Secretary General, Moses Kwehai disclosed that the party has resolved to surgically conduct and operate a grass root campaign within its power and reach out throughout the nooks and corners in Liberia until President Weah is re-elected on October 10, 2023.
Mr. Kwehai made the disclosure at a press conference following the adoption of a five count resolution at the end of the meeting of the leadership of the PUP, comprising of the Governing Council and the National Executive Committee held in Monrovia late Wednesday evening. Less Than 6 Months To Election, Sen. Nuquay’s PUP Declares Support For Weah’s CDC – News Public Trust
However, the embattled PUP Chairman Kogar, who immediately opposed the move, recently petitioned the Supreme Court’s Justice in Chambers, Associate Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay regarding what he described as his illegal suspension and the inducement by some members of the party.
Rep. Kogar of District #5 of Nimba County said the resolution of PUP pledging support to the re-election bid of President Weah violates the party’s constitution.
On April 19, the PUP of former House Speaker James Emmanuel Nuquay announced it was supporting the re-election bid of President Weah owing to the ‘numerous development programs his administration has undertaken.
Making the pronouncement, the PUP through one of its partisans Morris Barbay proclaimed that the party will only support the President. But he said it was not joining the President’s party- Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). The decision raised eyebrow as some of the party’s top officials including its national chairman, Rep. Kogar, were absent and did not affix their signatures.
Six days after the controversial decision, the PUP’s suspended national chairman called on the party to return to status quo ante as the decision was made in “bad faith.”
PUP’s suspended Chairman Kogar took flight to the Chambers Justice complaining some officials of the party, praying for a prohibition and restraining order from the court for those purporting as heads of the party.
He named the political leader of the party as; James Emmanuel Nuquay, Tokpah J. Mulbah, Benjamin K. Massaquoi, Bish A. Dolo Kerkulah, L. Moses Klyean Kwehai, Abel Y. Dolokelen, Amos Y. Flomo, Morris Barbay, Patrick Cole, David Chelly, James M. Kolleh, Ewdard W. Karfiah and all others for impersonating and appropriating the function of the Nimba County District #5 Lawmaker Kogar.
Rep. Kogar’s petition for a Writ of Prohibition requested the Justice In-Chambers to place a stay order on his suspension by directive of his honor Yamie Qui-Qui Gbeisay, Associate Justice, presiding in chambers, you are hereby cited to a conference with Gbeisay on Monday, May 28, 2023, at hour am in connection with the above captioned case.
With that, the Chambers Justice mandated the respondents (Nuquay, Karfiah, Flomo, Mulbah and others) to stay all further proceedings or actions pending the outcome of the conference.
The embattled PUP Chairman Kogar’s eight-count complaint averred that, he is a Chairman of the PUP who was elected and installed at the 2nd National Convention of the party on August 29, 2020 in Ganta, Nimba County.
According to him, as Chairman of the party, he is among others responsible to preside over all monetary spending as would be sanctioned by the National Executive Committee; adding that he is the official spokesperson of the PUP.
Rep. Kogar also complained that without regard to the dignity and sanity of his responsibilities and duties to the party and Liberia, some members of the PUP led by Nuquay and elected to assume the responsibility of the Chairman when they convened secret meetings outside of the constitution of the PUP.
Rep. Kogar submits that the actions of the Nuquay faction to suspend him as Chairman without due process violates the standard of investigation in this jurisdiction and it is not in harmony with the principle of law.
His reliance is on Articles 11 (c) and 20 (a) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution which provides that;
“All persons are equal before the law and therefore entitled to the equal protection of the law, while Article 20 (a): No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, security of the person, poverty, privilege or any other right except as the outcome of a hearing judgment consistent with the provisions laid down in this constitution and accordance with due process of law. Justice shall be done without sale, denial or delay and in all cases not arising in courts not of record, under courts martial and upon impeachment the parties shall have the right to trial by jury.”