CPP on the brink!

As LP executives square off over constitution

By Othello B. Garblah

Every new controversy within a constituent party of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) raises new questions as to how far the CPP can go.

The August 4, 2021, letter written by the Liberty Party Political Leader Senator Nyonblee Karnga- Lawrence to the National Elections Commission (NEC) requesting a withdrawal of the party’s newly revised constitution on the basis that she did not review it before the submission is no exception.

The unfolding brutal exchanges amidst internal bickering amongst constituents’ parties’ members and attacks from supporters of a particular candidate from one party against another within the same CPP raises further questions as to their commitment to stand as a unifying force against the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change CDC government in 2023.

And then the war of words that usually ensue and the level of distrust within the CPP is enough to tell an observer that the CPP is on the brink of collapse.

First, it was the issue of Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi, who ran as an independent candidate despite being a CPP member at the time and later declared his support for President George Weah ahead of 2023-at least under the condition that he fulfills his promises made to the people of Bomi during his (Weah) recent county tour.

Sources say Sen. Snowe is not a fan of former Vice President Joseph Boakai and at the same time does not appear to have admiration for Mr. Alexander B. Cummings either. That leaves him in the direction of President Weah.

Now comes Musa Hassan Bility, the newly crowned Chairman of the Liberty Party. Liberty Party as a constituent member of the CPP. It has a huge stake when it comes to choosing the standard-bearer for the CPP ticket and further ensuring that the collaboration wins in 2023.

But already, Bility and his political leader Sen. Karnga-Lawrence have begun squaring off over the party’s revised constitution.

Sen. Karnga-Lawrence’s argument is that as the political leader of the party she demanded to see the final draft of the constitution and minutes before sending the same to NEC.

She said as a presiding officer and political leader it was her duty to make sure that the revised constitution reflects the outcome of the constitution review committee accompanied by the minutes of the LPs Special National Convention.

To take her position on the matter further, the LP Political Leader on August 4, 2021, wrote NEC requesting a withdrawal of the revised constitution.

In her letter, Sen. Karnga-Lawrence stated that according to Article VIII of the LP 2015 Constitution, she convened a special National Convention purposely to review and adopt in the proper setting, certain proposals submitted by a constitution review committee and to conduct elections of officers.

In furtherance of this order, Sen. Karnga-Lawrence said a convention planning committee headed by the vice chairman for policy and program-Martin Kolleh, now Secretary-General of the party, was established.

She added that upon the advisement of this committee and assurance, a special national convention was scheduled and held in Gbarnga, Bong County from 22-23 of January 2021.

The Special convention adopted the constitution amendment and also elected officers to steer the affairs of the party.

One of these elected officials at the Special National Convention is Mr. Bility. Bility was also elected alongside Martin Kolleh who is the Secretary-General.

Now, Karnga-Lawrence’s issue with the constitution was that she needed to authenticate the amended constitution before being sent to NEC by Mr. Bility and his Secretary-General.

According to her, the currently amended version before NEC has within it numerous errors. And that it has been so because Bility and his Secretary General notarized the document without allowing her to take a final look at it and for her, they were not authorized to do so.

But Mr. Bility has stood his ground saying he has done no wrong and that as chief administrator of the party he acted within the confines of his authority.

In his response to his political leader, told this paper that no one else has the authority to sign the amended constitution besides him and the secretary general-both have the legal rights to run the party.

Now, here is the catch. Bility is being viewed as an ally of the CDC with plans to push the LP in the CDC direction. Bility on the surface, supporters say appears to be in support of Cummings, but in actual fact, he is a CDC mole within the CPP and using the LP as the vehicle.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/cpp-vows-to-hold-together/https://thenewdawnliberia.com/no-one-person-can-take-lp-in-one-direction/