IPNEWS-Monrovia: The National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for the presidency of the Press Union of Liberia is cautioning local and international organizations and the public against any form of transactions with the former leadership of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL).

Team Kanubah warns that dealing with the PUL ‘former leadership’ constitutes an affront to the judiciary in the wake of the Stay Order placed on all activities of the PUL including a so-called induction ceremony by the Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County.

Associate Justice Yussif Kabba ordered that the Writ of Prohibition filed by Team Kanubah at the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Gbarnga, Bong County prior to the PUL controversial election be heard. The Judge had initially vacate the Injunction under the cover of darkness as well as on a non-Court day.

The caution by the Julius Kanubah Campaign Team is against the backdrop that the former leadership of the PUL comprising Charles Coffey (ex-president), Daniel Nyakonah (ex-vice president), Musa MB Kanneh (ex-secretary general), and Akoi Baysah (ex-assistant secretary general) continue to exercise functions in the name of the PUL. The four men have resisted every internal mechanism intended to resolve the impasse and are now impeding judicial functions to continue the rogue management of the PUL.

Team Kanubah emphasizes that the action by the PUL former leadership amounts not only to impersonation but a mockery of the judicial branch of government vis-à-vis the rule of law.

“Team Kanubah is of the view that until a legal determination is made into its case of constitutional violations underpinned by massive irregularities and fraud in the PUL 2022 Membership Register (Voter Roll), it is illegal for the former leadership of Coffey–Nyakonah–Kanneh–Baysah to keep performing functions in the name of the PUL. It is the civic responsibility of all parties including the public to obey the Court’s mandate. This includes functionaries of the Government of Liberia and media development organizations such as the US Government (USAID) funded Internews.”

Judge Boimah Kontoe has placed a Stay Order on All PUL proceeding pending the hearing of the Writ of Prohibition filed by Team Kanubah prior to the controversial night election held in Gbarnga

“Moreover, the three years tenure of Coffey–Nyakonah–Kanneh–Baysah at the PUL since expired on the Second Saturday of November 2022 in line with Article 9 Section 1, Article 10 Section 2 and Article 11 Section 1 of the PUL Constitution.”

Since no democratically legitimate leadership has emerged to assume governing functions of the PUL because of the failure of the Coffey–Nyakonah–Kanneh–Baysah ‘former leadership’ to conduct a credible Congress and subsequent elections, Team Kanubah calls on media stakeholders not to sit idly and allow the PUL to be surrendered to the whims and caprices of ill-intent individuals.

“The failure of the Coffey–Nyakonah–Kanneh–Baysah former leadership to conduct a credible Congress and elections, based on a disaggregated Membership Register (Voter Roll), was eloquently enabled and executed by a clique of individuals on the PUL 2022 Congress Committee chaired by Carolyn Myers-Zoduah, the sub-Committee on Elections and Inauguration chaired by Atty. Wede Kerkulah, and the two-person Membership Committee of Fabine Kwiah and Eddie Harmon.”

Outgoing PUL President Charles Coffey

“Anchored on the vision of Bringing Credibility, Integrity and Dignity to the PUL, Team Kanubah seeks to reorder the PUL through a bold and doable sets of agenda focusing on an Accountable Leadership; Impartial Advocacy; Construction of PUL Headquarters; Support for Women in Journalism, Media Development; and Formations of Media Hubs in the Counties and Regions of Liberia. 

Establishing a transparent, accurate, credible and updated system of registration, record and data management of the PUL membership categories, which would capture key demographic features and dues-paying status is an essential element of the Kanubah manifesto of Accountable Leadership. 

In the past six years, the PUL under the former leadership of Charles Coffey and Daniel Nyakonah failed twice to conduct credible elections, an act Team Kanubah believes has consequences for Liberia’s 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections; because the role and influence of the PUL in national electoral governance has and continues to be deeply weakened, if not, destroyed by Coffey and Nyakonah.”