By Peter Toby,tobypeter71@gmail.com
The embattled Chairman of the former ruling Unity Party (UP), Wilmot Paye has filed Petition to the Supreme Court of Liberia seeking to prevent his illegal removal by the Executive Committee Members of the Party.
Mr. Paye’s latest move comes after the party’s Executive Committee last month announced his suspension, something Mr. Paye rejected. And accused UP’s former Standard Bearer, ex-President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and former Vice President and current Standard Bearer, Joseph Boakai of masterminding because of his (Paye’s) unwavering resistance to corruption and other bad governance practices.
The Supreme Court Court over the weekend confirmed, the UP Embattle Chairman Wilmot Paye’s lawyer Counselor Arthur Johnson seventeen counts petition for a Writ of Prohibition as provided by Chapter 16, Section 16.22 of the Civil Procedure Law of Liberia.
The law states “Prohibition is a special proceeding to obtain a writ ordering the respondent to refrain from further pursuing a judicial action or proceeding specified therein”.
Counselor Johnson’s application among other things accused the UP National Executive Committee Members of removing his client from office without due process in violation of the Party’s constitution as well as the 1986 Constitution of Liberia.
As a result of Counselor Johnson’s Petition to the Court Associate Justice Yussif Kaba has cited both the Petitioner & Respondent’s lawyers for conference this Monday February 3, at the Temple of Justice.
Justice Kaba, who is the current the Justice presiding in chamber, has called Monday’s pending conference with the parties will determine whether he will issue the Alternative Wirt of Prohibition or decline consistent with law
Prior to Counselor Arthur Johnson’s application for his client, The National Executive Committee Member of the Unity Party on January 21, suspended The UP Chairman Wilmot Paye for his alleged unilateral decision by calling UP partisans to stay away from a peaceful assembly organized by a group of Liberians under the banner of the Council of Patriots.
For Vice President Boakai at the time backed the January 6 COP protest and urged the CDC government to allow the citizens to protest and provide them security.
According to the UP executive committee’s statement suspending Mr. Paye: “The first thing is that the committee will investigate the motive behind the unilateral press statement and will report in two weeks for further actions by the national executive committee. The Committee is headed by Manbandee Varplah, Cllr. Peter Bonah Jallah will advise the Committee, Mrs. Cornelia Kruah-Togba, and Representative Richard Koon are members.”