–As One-Week Ultimatum Expires Today

IPNEWS: Team Kanubah, the party opposing the recently held controversial Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Elective Congress in Gbarnga, Bong County, has taken exception to the setting up of an Independent Media Stakeholders Committee by outgoing President Charles Coffey, saying that he did it without consulting Team Julius Kanubah.

On Thursday, November 24, 2022, Mr. Coffey constituted an Independent Media Stakeholder Committee to probe into the current electoral disagreement among members of the Union.

A PUL press release said that President Coffey’s decision is in adherence to Supreme Court Justice-in-Chamber Yussif Kaba’s mandate, following a conference with concerned parties on Wednesday November 23.

However, a press statement issued by the opposing party later opposed the move.

Below is full text of their press statement:

“The National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for the presidency of the Press Union of Liberia says PUL former President Charles Coffey is again proceeding selfishly wrongly despite Wednesday’s conference advice by Associate Justice in Chambers Yussif Kaba.

Team Kanubah is particularly concerned and appalled by the action of former president Coffey to constitute what he calls an “Independent Media Stakeholder Committee” without any form of consultation.

Accordingly, Team Kanubah believes it is a dangerous misstep by the PUL former President and a gross misrepresentation of the advice by Associate Justice Kaba. As Presiding Justice in Chambers, Justice Kaba had called for all sides to the controversy surrounding the 2022 PUL Congress to meet and find solution to the disputed PUL Congress and subsequent elections.

The Julius Kanubah Campaign Team states that as a key party to the controversy former President Coffey cannot be the one dictating the constitution of a Committee while absolving himself and the PUL from the crisis and the mess he jointly created at the PUL with his competent escort Daniel Nyakonah.

Team Kanubah emphasizes that while it will not question the credibility and competences of those appointed by Mr. Coffey, it has no inch of confidence in the decision of Mr Coffey because of his recurring error of judgment and his tendencies not to reach out to the Julius Kanubah Team.

It must also be made clear that there is no case between Team Julius Kanubah and what is known as Team Daniel.

Team Kanubah filed cases against the now erstwhile PUL leadership along with its 2022 Congress Committee and the sub-Committee on Elections and Inauguration as well as the PUL Membership Committee.

As one of the parties to the controversy, Team Kanubah, having called for credible media actors to take seize of the leadership vacuum at the PUL following the expiration of tenure of the Charles Coffey – Daniel Nyakonah leadership, is working on a strategic roadmap aimed at finding solution to the controversy surrounding the 2022 PUL Congress and the subsequent bogus elections.

Team Kanubah again calls on all its hundreds of supporters, members of the Press Union of Liberia and those interested in the democratic development of the PUL and Liberia to remain calm and peaceful as the appropriately legally necessary and constructive steps are being taken.”

Meanwhile, the one week ultimatum given by Justice-in-Chamber, Yussif D. Kaba expires today, November 30, 2022 and it is not clear whether the PUL Independent Stakeholders Committee was able to meet the contending parties to the controversial Gbarnga Elective Congress.

In a chat with some members of Team Kanubah during the course of the week following the setting up of the PUL Stakeholders Committee, they said their position remains the same and that is, the bloated PUL Voters’ Roll must be cleaned up and new election held to determine the new leadership of the Union.

It can be recalled Justice Kaba had warned the contending parties during last week Conference Call, that if they fail to resolve their impasse and find common grounds as an inky fraternity, the High Court will be left with no alternative but to render a decision based on the Writ of Prohibition and counter argument presented before it.