PHOTO: Justice Jamesetta Wolokolie
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Over the weekend, the Supreme of Liberia Chambers justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie in a conference gave 72 hours ultimatum to the embattled chairman of the opposition Liberty Party Musa Bility to restore the approved January 2021 Liberty Party (LP) constitution.
This comes in the wake of serious leadership rift within the LP, with suspension and counter suspensions, splitting the party right down the middle—the party’s political leader Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence in one faction and Chairman Bility in another faction.
(L-R) Musa Bility and Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence
The Court’s order says this should be done in keeping with the Farmington Memorandum of Understanding, which was allegedly fingered or altered by him (Bility), following an appeal taken at the National Elections Commission.
Justice Wolokollie also blasted the National Elections Commission (NEC), which was represented in court, for condoning Bility’s alleged fingering activity.
“All actions and decisions taken by Musa Bility, including the endorsement of Cummings, during this period of the alleged fraudulent constitution are hereby declared null and void, Justice Wolokolie added.
Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon in an exclusive interview at the Temple of Justice, said that they were told by the Justice in Chamber Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie through their lawyers that exactly what was done in Gbarnga, Bong County convention should be reflected in the Liberty Party constitution at the NEC.
According to Sen. Dillon, the high court gave the Liberty Party and NEC 72 hours ultimatum to ensure Liberty Party constitution that was reflected at the Gbarnga convention be deposited at the NEC.
The Montserrado County Senator added that the MOU from Farmington hotel which was signed by the party’s executive and submitted by embattled Chairman Musa Bility at the NEC didn’t reflect the views and decisions of the Gbarnga convention, as contained in the MOU from Farmington dated October 2,2021.
This, Sen. Dillon said the NEC is under obligation to ensure that.
He added that the constitution voted upon in Gbarnga, Bong County says that the political leader in consultation with the National Executive Committee shall formulate policies and procedures to implement the decision of the national convention.
“Where our wahala started from is when we returned from the Gbarnga convention, Mr. Bility began to appoint people which is out of his range. For example, the president of Liberia has the appointing power to appoint whoever he wants but in consultation with the senate. Instead of the political leader doing so, the party’s chairman has been overlapping functions adding it like the senate begin to appoint people in consultation with the president. In this case who have the appointing power? This is where the altering of the Liberty Party constitution came about, Sen. Dillon said.
Amid the split in Liberty Party, the Nyonblee Karng-Lawrence faction months ago withdrew from the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), which brought together four opposition parties—UP, LP, ALP and ANC.