PHOTO: CPP officials addressing a news conference in Monrovia
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has vowed to strongly resist by a combination of political and legal actions, what it called any nefarious effort to undermine the rule of law by cherry picking decisions of the nation’s highest court that are enforceable, warning it could risk the country’s peace, security and democracy.
CPP is a coalition of four opposition parties in Liberia—Unity Party of former Vice President Joseph Boakai; Liberty Party of Senator Nyonblee Karngar Lawrence; Alternative National Congress of Alexander Cummings and the All Liberian Party of Benonai Urey.
The Chairperson of the CPP, Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence, Senator Lawrence noted during a news conference in Monrovia, that sithe CPP stands with the people of Lofa County whose overwhelming election of a senator of their choice is without legal dispute and has been finally determined by the Supreme Court.
Months after he won the most votes in the Lofa County Senatorial election, the Supreme Court recently halted his certification, a short time after the National Elections Commission (NEC) declared him winner.
Senator-elect Samukai
The high court’s action was triggered by a petition for a Writ of Prohibition filed the Political chairman of the Movement for Progressive Change O’Neil Paasewe on Tuesday March 2, 2021.
Samukai, former Defense Minister in the former regime of ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is the candidate of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and he has been battling a legal suit in which he was convicted by the Criminal Court C for corruption, a verdict which was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court.
On Monday, an executive of the CPP and Lofa County Representative, Francis Nyumalin threatened on the local OK FM radio that, if Samukai is stopped from taking his Senate seat, ‘Liberians should be getting ready for an interim government.’
Senator Karngar-Lawrence said the CPP also stands with the gallant men and women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who must be justly reimbursed as directed by the highest court.
According to her, the CPP is forced to conclude that the current composition of the NEC is without the capacity nor competence to deliver on its constitutional mandate to conduct free, fair and credible public elections in the country, void of political interference.
She maintained that or the CPP and all well-meaning Liberians, this is unacceptable! Enough is enough! Because it is the duty of the CPP to protect democracy and will take it not lightly
The CPP Chairperson pointed out that it is also true that those into whose hands Liberians have entrusted the power to govern democratically will not likely do so without their willingness to continuously ensure that they respect the laws of our country.
“The painful fact is that too many in our country have suffered, bled and died for the creation of a democratic order in Liberia,” the CPP leader added.
“We are deeply concerned that if allowed to go unchecked, the current infantile maneuvers and political collusions will grow to seriously threaten our democracy, the authority of the Liberian Constitution, and thereby, risk the peace and security of the republic.”
“Let the word go forth that the CPP will resist the continued corruption of our courts, and the continued use and/or abuse of our judiciary to the detriment of our country’s peace, security and stability.”
“As already indicated, we are commencing a number of political and legal actions against the continued abuse and corrosion of the independence and autonomy of the National Elections Commission.”
The four political parties have instructed the membership of their legislative caucus to begin the drafting of electoral reforms intended to address evolving issues in the qualification of candidates; as well as protect the expressed will of the people in choosing their leaders, in a timely and credible manner that is not disruptive to the normal flow of government activities and functions.