Opposition Liberty Party (LP) on 11 July 2022 officially signed the corrected version of its January 2021 constitution for resubmission to the National Elections Commission (NEC) in keeping with the party’s Farmington agreement.
The LP faction loyal to political leader and Grand Bassa County Senator Nyonblee Karnga – Lawrence graced the signing ceremony, but partisans loyal to embattled chairman Musa Bility were not seen there.
LP has been engulfed in internal political crisis, amidst a claim by the Karnga – Lawrence faction that Mr. Bility’s faction had tampered with the party’s constitution.
Early this year, both Karnga – Lawrence and Bility announced the expulsion of each other from the party leading the crisis at the doorstep of the Supreme Court.
The Justice – in – chambers at the time, Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard – Wolokolie mandated that the party’s constitution be withdrawn from the NEC in keeping with the Farmington Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and all corrections be made and resubmitted to the NEC.
The Liberty Party corrected version of its constitution was signed by Mr. Jacob Smith, LP Secretary-General whom Senator Karnga-Lawrence had introduced as chairman of the convention committee.
The LP political leader and presiding officer of the convention, Madam Karnga – Lawrence approved the instrument.
Speaking before the official signing ceremony, Karnga-Lawrence said the corrected version of the Liberty Party January 2021 constitution has been signed and resubmitted to the National Elections Commission.
“This action is an outcome of a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by the political leader, the chairman, their resource persons and members of the National Advisory Council (NAC) of [the] Liberty Party at the Farmington Hotel,” said Karnga – Lawrence.
She said the action was also acknowledged and upheld by all parties in separate conferences at the Supreme Court with Justices Howard – Wolokolie and Sie-A-Nyeneh G. Yuoh.
According to her, the LP also reaffirmed its commitment to the execution of the MoU that is binding by the signatures of its officials, by agreeing to correct the constitution and resubmitting it to the NEC.
“Because Mr. Bility refused to honor the invitation for both parties to participate and witness the signing of the constitution, I have invoked Article 6 Section 1 paragraph 3 of the 2021 Constitution,” said Madam Karnga – Lawrence.
She added that it is consistent with the party’s 2015 constitution that governed the January 2021 convention.
Article 6 Section 1 Paragraph 3 of the 2021 Constitution states that the Standard Bearer/Political Leader, in consultation and collaboration with the NEC, shall formulate policy and procedures to implement the decisions of the National Convention.
It says further that the political leader shall call Special Conventions as provided for in Article VIII and take such other actions and proper measures as deemed necessary to advance the best interest of the Party.
Accordingly, Senator Karnga-Lawrence instructed the Secretary of the Convention, Mr. Jacob J. Smith, to sign the Constitution for submission to the Authority of the National Elections Commission.
Following the signing, LP stalwart and Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon said Bility’s absence at the ceremony clearly shows who has the problem in the party.
However, he told an interview with journalists at the Boulevard Palace in Sinkor that the signing of the constitution is a really good day for the party.
He also said the signing of the corrected constitution of the party marks the beginning of a new dawn and a revamping of the party after facing a lot of issues for too long.
Mr. Dillon believes that Liberty Party will continue to pursue peace and reconciliation. -Edited by Winston W. Parley
Source: