Rumor lingering in the corridors of newsrooms is that the embattled Political Leader of the Liberty Party (LP), Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, is anticipating to filing a writ of injunction on Musa Bility’s planned Special Convention slated for Friday, December 17, 2021, in order for the process to be halted.
After receiving a letter from the National Elections Commission (NEC), in which she was informed that the election body deemed the LP January 2021 convention and constitution as proper, Senator Karnga-Lawrence described the NEC communication as an interference in Liberty Party’s internal affairs, and may choose to use the court’s intervention into the matter.
It is expected that the Liberty Party, now “headed” by Chairman Musa Bility as Acting Political Leader, to go to a Special Convention in Ganta, Nimba County, on Friday to make decisions that will include the party’s position on who to support for the CPP candidacy. However, it is expected that all those suspended by Chairman Bility, including Senator Karnga-Lawrence, will not attend the special convention until they settle their financial obligation to the party which, from all indications, remains far from happening.
Chairman Bility, in his recognition by the NEC as the legitimate Chairman of LP, has communicated with the leadership of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that Senator Karnga-Lawrence and others remain suspended from all activities of the party and, as such, were not qualified to represent the party at the level of the CPP.
He said the Executive Committee of the party was going to meet to make a determination of a new list to be submitted to the CPP so that those who are “purporting” to be representing LP will be withdrawn. He threatened to take action to remedy the anomalies if the leadership of CPP reneges.
However, it seems like these plans are not expected to sail on smooth tides without a counter-reaction from the suspended officials, many of whom are backed by legal knowledge.
If Senator Karnga-Lawrence prays the court to halt Bility’s upcoming activities, and her prayers granted, observers say a line will then be drawn between the two sides of the divide and the worst should be expected to come from the two folds.
According to some individuals observing the fuss from an outsider but a legal perspective, the letter from NEC left a vacuum open for counter-fight from the Nyonblee side when it said, “The Commission notes that since the above referenced statement to the LP, the Commission has not received any final, non-appealable decision regarding the validity of the LP’s 2021 constitution; neither has the Commission been served with an amendment done by the party…” They said this is a sufficient legal ground for the Political Leader to either contact a legal practitioner to inform the NEC about a pending amendment of the constitution or use the court to halt all the party’s activities until the right things are put into perspective.