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NEC denies LP Political Leader’s request

-Upholds 2021 notarized Constitution 

By Jonathan Browne

The National Elections Commission (NEC), has written the Political Leader of the embattled Liberty Party Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, reiterating its earlier statement that the LP’s 2021 notarized constitution submitted to the Commission is deemed proper and remains as such until successfully challenged in keeping with due process or via an amendment by the Party.

In a letter to the Political Leader Madam Karnga-Lawrence dated December 13, 2021, with a copy to Chairman Musa Bility, the Co-Chair of the National Elections Commission, Cllr. P. Teplah Reeves says, the Commission notes that since the referenced statement to the LP, the NEC has not received any final, non-appealable decision regarding the validity of the LP’s 2021 constitution; neither has it been served with an amendment done by the Party.

“Hence, the Commission herein informs you that the Liberty Party’s 2021 notarized constitution remains proper with the Commission until successfully challenged or amended as stated in our 23 August 2021 communication to you”, the NEC writes to Sen. Karnga-Lawrence.

It recalls that after the LP’s January 22-24, 2021 convention held in Gbarnga, Bong County, the Party on February 26, 2021, through its Chairman and Secretary-General, did submit its notarized 2021 constitution to the Commission, replacing the constitution of 2015.

However, several months after, Madam Karnga-Lawrence wrote the NEC on August 4, 2021, requesting a withdrawal of the Party’s 2021 Constitution. Five days later, Chairman Musa H. Bility wrote the National Elections Commission, responding to the claims raised in the Political Leader’s August 4, 2021 letter.

Both communications, the NEC says, were referred to the Political Affairs Section of the Commission after which the two leaders were invited to a conference on 6th August 2021.

The NEC’s latter continues that at the end of the conference, it informed all parties that pursuant to Section 3.3 of the Guidelines and Regulations relating to the Registration of Political Parties and Independent Candidates, claims and counterclaims raised by the parties in their respective communications, must first be heard using the LP’s internal procedures, which they accepted without objections.  

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The LP Political Leader Karnga-Lawrence had accused Chairman Bility of tempering with the 2021 notarized Constitution of the Party thus, requesting for its withdrawal in order to return to the 2015 Constitution of the LP.

However, the NEC insists that “in keeping with the practice and procedures here at the NEC, when a party, especially through its Chairperson and/or Secretary-General, submits a notarized document such as a constitution to the Commission, the general presumption is that the said document is proper and remains as such until successfully challenged in keeping with due process or amended by the Party.”

Sen. Karnga-Lawrence is yet to respond to the NEC’s latest decision on the rigmarole between her and Chairman Bility over the Liberty Party’s constitution.

Amidst its all, both sides have gone ahead taken what seems to be retributive decisions at each other with Bility recently announcing the suspension of Sen. Karnga-Lawrence and scores of the other executive committee members for alleged failure to pay dues, while the Political Leader in return, has asked LP’s former Chairman Senator Steve Zargo to take over the party as Chairman. https://thenewdawnliberia.com/power-and-cash/ 

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The New Dawn is Liberia’s Truly Independent Newspaper Published by Searchlight Communications Inc. Established on November 16, 2009, with its first hard copy publication on January 22, 2010. The office is located on UN Drive in Monrovia Liberia. The New Dawn is bilingual (both English & French).
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