Abandon Code of Conduct

Opposition Liberty Party (LP) standard bearer Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine says ” There is a maxim in that where a construction of the law leads to absurdity, the court is under obligation to abandon it”, in attempting to defend his running mate Harrison Kanwea that he “did not desire” contesting for elected job.

“There is a maxim in that where a construction of the law leads to absurdity, the court is under obligation to abandon it. The law says when a person desires, but Karnwea did not desire, I picked him. I am the one who desired, I am the one who is running and I have no government job, Cllr. Brumskine argued on Thursday, 6 July after filling in his nomination papers with the National Elections Commission.

The Code of Conduct which has been endorsed by the Supreme Court as legal and binding here requires all presidential appointees that desire to contest elected offices to resign two years ahead of such elections.

For those appointees that hold tenured jobs, the instrument requires them to resign three years ahead. Mr. Kanwea who headed the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) here like some other presidential appointees did not resign two years ahead, but his political leader insists that the former official had no desire to become a running mate.

Cllr. Brumskine, however, says he stands by the Code of Conduct and that it should be enforced. He says “I am for anything that comes up” and reminds Liberians that they have a responsibility to vote if they want change and progress.

He claims that Mr. Karnweah is in full compliance with the Code of Conduct and all other elections laws on the books. On Thursday, 6, July, Cllr. Brumskine drew massive crowd when he filed in his nomination papers with the National Elections Commission, accompanied by crowd that was mostly full of young people, market women and nearby shop owners.

They were chanting slogans and singing song while the LP standard bearer made his way through the SKD Sports Stadium in Paynesville where the nomination process is being hosted.

It took the effort of armed officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) to control the crowd of excited supporters trying to get selfies and other photo opportunities with Cllr. Brumskine and his running mate Karnweah.

The pair were dressed in navy blue suits and escorted by top party and campaign executives. Party chairman Benjamin Sanvee, Campaign chairman Musa Hassan Bility, Darious Dillon, Vice Chairman for political Affairs and Menipakei Dumoe, Deputy Chief of communication and other party stalwarts were seen at the complex providing moral support.

-Edited by Othello B. Garblah