-CPP rages to Samukai’s defense
Liberia’s main opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) has termed as unacceptable, ongoing legal bottleneck against its Senator-elect, former minister of defense Brownie Samukai, stressing that enough is enough and it could no longer sit and watch the way and manner things are being handled, which has prevented his certification by the National Elections Commission.
Speaking at a press conference in Monrovia, Tuesday March 16, the chairperson of the Collaborating Political Parties, also Grand Bassa County Senator, NyonbleeKarnga Lawrence said, the duty to protect the nation’s democracy is not one the CPP takes lightly and commitment to the rule of law is not something the CPP will accept that anyone or group can either trivialize, or elect to disregard when it does not conform to their selfish political interests.
“Therefore, we announce today that we stand with the Supreme Court in a call for the full enforcements of both of its final decisions – the first to finally determine guilt and the satisfactory punishment therefore, and the second to finally determine the winner in the Midterm Senatorial Elections in Lofa County, as well as the attendant instructions to proceed to certificate the winner, Senator-elect Brownie J. Samukai, without further delays,” the CPP chairperson said.
Senator Lawrence noted that to the best of their abilities, the CPP will strongly resist, by a combination of political and legal actions, any nefarious effort to undermine the rule of law by cherry-picking decisions of the nation’s highest court that are enforceable, and thereby risk the country’s peace, security and democracy.
“Let it be known that the CPP stands with the gallant men and women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who must be justly reimbursed as directed by the highest court. Similarly, we stand with the people of Lofa County whose overwhelming election of a senator of their choice is without legal dispute and has been finally determined by the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia.”
She said it is also true that those in whose hands Liberians have entrusted the power to govern democratically will not likely do so without the willingness to continuously ensure that they respect the laws of the country, adding, that the painful fact is that too many in the country have suffered, bled and died for the creation of a democratic order in Liberia.
Chairperson Nyonblee Lawrence, who is political leader of the opposition Liberty Party, a constituent member of the CPP, continued that the Collaboration and all well-meaning Liberians cannot afford to stand idly by and watch the slaughter of the soul of the democracy and the duty to act is one “we consider to be nationally compelling. Liberia cannot simply claim to be democratic, and at the same time, permit the actions of our courts and democratic institutions to bend the rule of law selectively, out of convenience, or be engaged in lawless behavior.”
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“Today, therefore, let the word go forth that the CPP will resist the continued corruption of our courts, and the continued use and/or abuse of our judiciary to the detriment of our country’s peace, security and stability. As already indicated, we are commencing a number of political and legal actions against the continued abuse and corrosion of the independence and autonomy of the National Elections Commission, and have instructed the membership of our legislative caucus to begin the drafting of electoral reforms intended to address evolving issues in the qualification of candidates as well as protect the expressed will of the people in choosing their leaders, in a timely and credible manner that is not disruptive to the normal flow of government activities and functions,” the CPP chairperson stressed.
She narrated that shockingly, to realize their unconstitutional conspiracy against the people of Lofa County, the Movement for Progressive Change (MPC), a ‘moribund’ political party, petitioned the court through Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe, the Justice in Chambers, to prohibit the enforcement of the final decision of the full bench of the highest court.
The CPP notes the MPC’s petition is not only without legal basis but it offers no legal precedence nor does it cite any legal reliance for its claim. Chairperson KarngaLawrance points that even on the face of these blatant legal defects, Associate Justice Nagbe, acting apparently on instructions from the Executive, illegally, unprecedentedly and singularly issued an order to stay the enforcement of the final decision of the full bench, a decision to which he is a member-justice, signatory, and participated in deciding. By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
