PHOTO: Andrew Peters, NPP Secretary General
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
Crisis has again hit the leadership of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) of Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, as some members of the party’s national executive committee and party’s standard bearer are again at loggerheads.
Previous row had been over leadership positions.
But now, they are divided over the funding and number of delegates to invite for the pending NPP national convention scheduled for October 7, 2022 in Paynesville. The NPP is one of the three constituent parties of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
On September 4, 2022, the national executive committee resolved to invite 638 delegates with the budget of 100,000 United States Dollars but they also agreed to bring about 310 delegates, if the funding of one hundred thousand United States Dollars cannot be raised.
NPP Standard Bearer Jewel Howard Taylor
Addressing a press conference in Monrovia, NPP Secretary General, Andrew Peters appealed to the Liberian government and international community to do all they can to stop the party’s standard bearer and Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor from bringing another confusion by inviting delegates out of the approved number.
According to him, Madam Taylor has reportedly failed to provide the funding and that one Morris Paye from her office is purposely usurping the power of the party’s leadership by bringing delegates from all over country, without the knowledge of the secretariat.
But this claim has not been independently verified.
The NPP Secretary General said it is unthinkable to see the party’s standard bearer usurping the function of the party’s leadership, with 25 days gone from the 45 days given the James Biney’s leadership by the court to hold the convention and conduct the election.
Biney, who is Senator for Maryland County, is the current chairman of the former ruling NPP founded by jailed former Liberian President Charles Ghankay Taylor.
Recently, the Civil Law Court at the Temple of Justice gave 45 days to the James Biney leadership to hold a national convention and conduct election for the National Patriotic Party after a lengthy legal battle.
Mr. Peters pointed out that Madam Taylor was supposed to deposit 90,000 United States Dollars and the party’s National Chairman, Senator James Biney provide 10,000 United States dollars.
VP Taylor’s office reacts
Reacting to the allegation, the Political Advisor in the Office of the Vice President of Liberia, Puoo Wesseh denied the claim against the standard bearer of the NPP.
According to him, Vice President Taylor has already deposited the funds for the holding of the convention in the NPP’s account, while the transportation for the delegates have been sent to chairpersons who will transport the other party members to Monrovia.
Mr. Wesseh made it clear that the NPP leadership is demanding that the fund for the transportation delegates and operation funds which is against the normal procedure.
He explained that some of the delegates have received their transportations and they will be arriving in Monrovia during the weekend.