PHOTO (L-R) PLP leader, Dr. Daniel Cassell and Wilmot Paye during their good old days
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
Members of the General Policy Commission of one of Liberia’s youngest opposition parties, People’s Liberation Party have unanimously voted to expel its former National Chairman Wilmot Paye and five others for allegedly violating the norms, code of values and ethics of the party.
The PLP was fully certificated by the National Elections Commission as a full-fledged political party on December 21, 2020.
The GPC is said to be the highest decision-making body of this party.
The party’s GPC took the decision to expel Mr. Paye and the others on Monday shortly after the climax of an executive meeting held at the party’s headquarters in Congo Town, outside Monrovia.
In a letter dated September 20, 2021 and addressed to Mr. Paye, the GPC stated that since his removal as acting Chairman of the PLP, Mr. Paye continues to misrepresent himself in the public as Chairman of the party.
The GPC added that Mr. Paye continued to demonstrate gross violation of the Party’s norms, and as such, his membership with the party has been terminated.
The communication was signed by the Acting National Organizing Chairman of the PLP, Mr. Tapple E. Doe.
It can be recalled that the PLP, through its General Policy Commission sometimes ago removed Mr. Wilmot Paye as acting Chairman and few others from various leadership positions within the party.
Mr. Paye and the other officials were removed for multiple reasons ranging from the alleged fraud, acts of undermining and poor performances and unilaterally violating the constitutional rights of other members of the party.
Mr. Paye was removed as acting National Chairman, Henry Sackie, acting Vice Chairman for Political Affairs and Kansualism Kansuah, Secretary General were removed from the positions
Carlos Tingban Edison was suspended from his position as acting National Youth Chairman of the PLP.
Following their removal, Mr. Paye and the others challenged the decision taken by the GPC and filed an official complaint to the National Elections Commission (NEC).
But in a report dated August 30, 2021, issued under the signature of NEC Director of Political Affairs Ignatius B. Wisseh and addressed to PLP Acting Organizing Chairman, Mr. Tapple E. Doe, the commission pointed out that the positions previously held by Mr. Paye and the others had no legal backing because, the PLP has not held convention to elect its required officials.
The commission maintained that both parties at the conference were also referred to Chapter II, Section 2.9 of the Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates which states that: “once accredited, the leadership of the organizing committee of every newly accredited political party shall be required to take the party to convention not later than six months following the its accreditation to, among things adopt the party’s constitution and elect its corps of officers”
The communication maintained that Mr. Paye and the others have been engaged into fabricating stories, which have no iota of truth to besmear the image and bring to public ridicule the PLP.
Assuming that the PLP had met the requirement of holding its convention and adopting its by-laws, the statement pointed out that, the NEC could have referred the party to Chapter III, Section 3.3 “Handling of Disputes in Political Parties” of the Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates which provides that” a member must first file his/her complaint with the party”.
Following the NEC ruling on the matter, Mr. Paye and the others went on the rampage by engaging into verbal attacks, smear campaign and propaganda by taking to the airwaves to derail the character of the vision bearer of the PLP, Dr. Daniel E. Cassell and tarnish the image of the party in general.
“Please be advised that it has been brought to the attention of the Organizing Committee following your recent dismissal on August 16, 2021 as previous Chairman of the People’s Liberation Party for direct violation of the party’s norms, code values and ethics, not only have you misrepresented yourself in the public as chairman of the PLP, but you have also engaged in fabrication of stories against the PLP, it’s vision bearer and the leadership, which once again clearly demonstrates your gross violation of the PLP’s norms, code values and ethics,” the PLP says.
“In view of the recent waves of gross violations of the PLP’s Norms, Code Values and Ethics, the Organizing Committee of the People’s Liberation Party do hereby expel your membership from the PLP as of the above-mentioned date,” the General Policy Commission of the party added.
The GPC comprises of executive members including the party leader, Chairman, all Vice-Chairpersons, Secretary, Women and Youth Chairpersons, Treasurer, among others.
Mr. Paye was expelled from the party along several others including Mr. Henry Sackie, Kansualism Kansuah, Carlos Edison Tingban, Peddi Ross and Reuben Washingon for similar reasons.
The former acting Chairman of the PLP and others expelled are yet to respond to the decision taken by the party, through the GPC.