IPNews-Monrovia: The former vice president of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Octavin T. Williams says that the Press Union of Liberia has lost its relevance, thus, denouncing his membership from the union.

Williams who served as vice President was defeated in controversial election which lingers in the Civil law court after aggrieved petitioners filled an injunction against the elections and subsequent Bill of Information has not been heard.

Addressing a news conference Thursday, January 23, 2020 at a local radio station, Freedom 87.9FM in Monrovia, Williams stated that he cannot be a part of a group headed by Charles Cuffey, Daniel Nyankonah, Musa Kenneth and Akoi Baysah, who he described as corrupt and lacks the pedigree to serve an institutional such as the PUL which should be an integrity institution.

“I am today informing Liberians and the world at large that I, Octavin Toegar Williams in this public manner, do hereby denounce my membership with the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) under this current illegal and purported new leadership headed by Charles Cuffey, Daniel Nyankonah, Musa Kenneth and Akoi Baysah,” Williams noted.

The former PUL vice President stated that the Union has lost it relevance in regards to integrity, nothing, the sole intent for the establishment of the PUL was to advocate for the rights of journalists and ordinary people in society, something he thinks is lacking in the current administration.

Williams asserted that though it is with heavy heart that he is denouncing his membership with the PUL, which he has been a member of for many years and has served as vice President subsequently, yet, he indicated that his action is necessary because he does not recognize the Union’s current leadership headed by Charles Cuffey.

Williams furthered that the founders of the PUL including its first President, the late Stanton Peabody are sad in their graves because their dreams of building the union on the pillars of good governance, advocacy, democracy and integrity have been dashed and fallen below the belt by the Charles Cuffey’s leadership.

“As we speak, the PUL is being regarded by most Liberians as a lame duck institution that does not have the integrity to criticize state actors, including the government and the society as a whole,” Williams noted.

Williams wonders, how can the the PUL under Charles Cuffey criticize government and it’s officers when they go wrong when the Union itself has no moral grounds to uphold it’s own constitution.

He however, clarified that he would still continue his professional career as an investigative journalist with many years of recognition both locally and internationally.

But minutes after Mr. Williams press conference, the President of the Press Union of Liberia, Charles Cuffey, told IPNews that why he may not want to dignify assertions made by former PUL Vice president Octavin Williams, yet the pronouncement by Journalist Williams to denounce his members with the Press Union of Liberia, which has exisited for over five decades was surprising and shocking.

Cuffey said as a responsible institution, his leadership embarked upon a general reconciliation drive following the October heated PUL elections to heel the worms left behind at the resuit of the intensity of the elections, but denunciation of membership by Journalist Williams who served as Vice president of the PUL was just not suppressing but speak to the level of frustration and desperation of defeated candidate Octavin T. Williams.

He called on Mr. Williams to rethink his decision as elections the world over are marked by intense disagreement and quarries which are a part of the democratic environment that must be respected.

“We understand post-traumatic stress and sympathized with our colleagues Octavin Williams. But one thing we know he will realized his decision to denounce his members with the PUL he served as vice president for three years.” Cuffey stated.

It can be recalled that Octavin Williams contested the presidency of the just October ended Press Union of Liberia (PUL) elections that ended in court.

Prior to contesting for the Presidency of the PUL, Williams served as vice President of the PUL during which time he was suspended for acts not in confirmative to the Union’s standards.

Meanwhile, Octavin Toegar Williams told journalists and his supporters that he are on their way of making history in the media in due course that would be felt throughout the country but failed to be specific.

Speculations has mounted in recent times among supporters of Octavin T. Williams about the formation of the Independent Press Union of Liberia.