By Our Reporter
The umbrella group for Liberian Journalists, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has over the past weeks continue to be in the news for all the wrong reasons—internal rift amid a controversial election held in Gbarnga, Bong County last November.
On December 2, 2022, the presiding justice in Chambers of the Supreme Court, Associate Justice Yusuf Kaba mandated the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County to resume jurisdiction over the matter.
But despite the mandate from Justice Kaba and before the circuit court in Gbarnga could act, the outgoing leadership of PUL President Charles Coffey and Vice President Daniel Nyankonah said they were going ahead with the induction of Nyankonah and other officials who won the controversial election in Gbarnga. A December 23, 2022 date was set for the inauguration and an inaugural committee was announced with preparation put into motion.
However, while all that was going on last week, the Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in the central city of Gbarnga, Boimah Kontoe granted the Julius Kanubah legal team’s prayer for stay order on all activities regarding the pending PUL inauguration. Circuit Court Places Stay Order On PUL’s Planned Controversial Inauguration – News Public Trust
Now in the wake of the court’s stay order, Team Kanubah representing the rival presidential candidate today, Wednesday, December 21, 2021 issued a press statement putting the public on the alert and cautioning them not to do business with the outgoing PUL leadership.
SEE FULL TEXT OF STATEMENT BELOW
Do not make Business with Daniel Nyakonah, Team Konubah cautioned public
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Team Kanubah Warns Public Not To Do Business With Coffey, Nyakonah After Court Halted All PUL Activities…
21 December 2022
The National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for the presidency of the Press Union of Liberia is cautioning local and international organizations and the public against any form of transactions with the former leadership of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL).
Team Kanubah warns that dealing with the PUL former leadership constitutes an affront to the judiciary in the wake of the Stay Order placed on all activities of the PUL including a so-called induction ceremony by the Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The caution by the Julius Kanubah Campaign Team is against the backdrop that the former leadership of the PUL comprising Charles Coffey (ex-president), Daniel Nyakonah (ex-vice president), Musa MB Kenneh (ex-secretary general), and Akoi Baysah (ex-assistant secretary general) continue to exercise functions in the name of the PUL.
The four men have resisted every internal mechanism intended to resolve the impasse and are now impeding judicial functions to continue the rogue management of the PUL.
Team Kanubah emphasizes that the action by the PUL former leadership amounts not only to impersonation but a mockery of the judicial branch of government vis-à-vis the rule of law.
Team Kanubah is of the view that until a legal determination is made into its case of constitutional violations underpinned by massive irregularities and fraud in the PUL 2022 Membership Register (Voter Roll), it is illegal for the former leadership of Coffey–Nyakonah–Kenneh–Baysah to keep performing functions in the name of the PUL.
It is the civic responsibility of all parties including the public to obey the Court’s mandate.
This includes functionaries of the Government of Liberia and media development organizations such as the US Government (USAID) funded Internews.
Moreover, the three years tenure of Coffey–Nyakonah–
Kenneh–Baysah at the PUL has since expired on the Second Saturday of November 2022 in line with Article 9 Section 1, Article 10 Section 2 and Article 11 Section 1 of the PUL Constitution.
Since no democratically legitimate leadership has emerged to assume governing functions of the PUL because of the failure of the Coffey–Nyakonah–
Kenneh–Baysah former leadership to conduct a credible Congress and subsequent elections, Team Kanubah calls on media stakeholders not to sit idly and allow the PUL to be surrendered to the whims and caprices of ill-intent individuals.
The failure of the Coffey–Nyakonah–Kenneh–Baysah former leadership to conduct a credible Congress and elections, based on a disaggregated Membership Register (Voter Roll), was eloquently enabled and executed by a clique of individuals on the PUL 2022 Congress Committee chaired by Carolyn Myers-Zoduah, the sub-Committee on Elections and Inauguration chaired by Atty. Wede Kekuleh, and the two-person Membership Committee of Fabine Kwiah and Eddie Harmon.
Anchored on the vision of Bringing Credibility, Integrity and Dignity to the PUL, Team Kanubah seeks to reorder the PUL through a bold and doable sets of agenda focusing on Accountable Leadership; Impartial Advocacy; Construction of PUL Headquarters; Support for Women in Journalism, Media and Development; Media Development; and Formations of Media Hubs in the Counties and Regions of Liberia.
Establishing a transparent, accurate, credible and updated system of registration, record and data management of the PUL membership categories, which would capture key demographic features and dues-paying status is an essential element of the Kanubah manifesto of Accountable Leadership.
In the past six years, the PUL under the former leadership of Charles Coffey and Daniel Nyakonah failed twice to conduct credible elections, an act Team Kanubah believes has consequences for Liberia’s 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections; because the role and influence of the PUL in national electoral governance has and continues to be deeply weakened, if not, destroyed by Coffey and Nyakonah.
Signed:
Raymond K. Zarbay
Chairman
National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for PUL Presidency