CDC ‘Eviction’ Imbroglio Party Demands ‘Due Process’, Opponents Spew Ridiculing Jabs

The “ghost of eviction” continues to haunt Liberia’s most contemporary political arch-rivals and ruling elites—the Unity Party (UP) and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). It can be remembered the current ruling UP, while in firefight with the CDC during the 2023 elections, was confronted with the “eviction ghost” and in the end the public began to see its ‘satokas’—personal effects—flying over a stream of pickup trucks being ferried from its former Congo Town premises to the Broad Street enclave near the iconic Ducor Place Hotel. The embarrassing spectacle was a source of “propaganda jabs”, as opponents taunted the UP as being so broke and irresponsible not being able to maintain its headquarters. Less than 12 months following the UP woe, the former ruling CDC is also falling into the ‘eviction ghost’ trap, though some pundits that the circumstances may not be identical. What is however true is that very soon one thing to be identical, no matter the unique case with the CDC, would be that its ‘statokas’ will also may be seen flying over the same Congo Town UN Drive to a yet unknown place—something that the party’s executives are currently fighting tooth and nail to prevent. THE ANALYST reports.

The Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), which lost political power in a razor-thin election outcome ten months ago, could possibly face another embarrassing ordeal if it is ejected and thrown out of the “revolutionary sycamore tree shrine”—its headquarters—by landlord who reportedly appears obstinate to do so.

Social media posts from opponents of the ruling party have particularly been demeaning and provocative, some indicating that the party was reckless and irresponsible for failing to consummate a rental deal that would save it from such embarrassment while it was in power.

But two executives of the CDC, Acting Chairperson Janga Kowo and Secretary General Jefferson Koijee, are upbeat about their conviction that the law is on the side of their party and that eviction, if ruling of law genuinely prevails, will be impossible.

In his usual militant tune, Secretary General Koijee released venoms on the social media when he said: “The CDC will not take a microinch away from its headquarters.”

He squarely placed the party’s rental quagmire on the ruling Unity Party’s Standard Bearer Joseph Boakai. He said: “After receiving barrage of calls from in and around the counties and abroad, from partisans and sympathizers and concerned Liberians about the party being evicted, we want to assure every CDCian that the CDC cannot and will not be imaginarily evicted by Mr. Boakai’s effortless attempt to erase the CDC.”

“Partisans can go to bed,” he continued. “The CDC will not take a microinch away from its headquarters under the remaining five years of Mr. Boakai.

“As Mr. Boakai continues to weaponize the court, it is indeed tantamount to having him evicted from the Presidency. The party’s leadership is in full control and remains in good standing.”

Though Acting Chairperson Janga Kowo shares Koijee’s insinuation regarding alleged interferences from the ruling administration in the eviction saga of the CDC, he leans more strongly on the legal or ‘rule o law side’ of the fight.

Threats, coupled with legal maneuvers by the interstate of Martha Stubberfield Bernard represented by Ebrima Varney Dempster, to eject the CDC from its headquarters are being fought in court, Kowo told journalists recently, pleading with the Civil Law Court to hear the party’s bill of information.

It is recallable that in March this year the Liberian Civil Law Court issued double writs seeking the eviction of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) from its Congo Town Headquarters, following what was then reported to be Supreme Court opinion against the former ruling Party, affirming the lower court’s verdict in the action of ejectment filed by Dempster.

There was another writ instructing the arrest of the officials of the CDC if they failed to pay about fifty-four thousand US Dollars, and over thirteen thousand Liberian Dollars to the Plaintiff as rent for the property.

However, Kowo contends that since August 29, 2024, the Civil Law Court is yet to hear the Bill of Information that the CDC had submitted in apparent refutation of claims made by Mr. Dempster on behalf of the Martha Stubberfield Bernard Interstate.

According to Kowo, since the 2016 court decision in favor of Dempster, the CDC has been paying its rent and has been negotiating for the purchase of property which the party has developed significantly.

The CDC chairperson told journalists that Mr. Dempster was in error submitting to court with contention suggesting that CDC is exerting title to property when indeed the party has only been tenant in regular standing with the landlord in terms of payment up to the 2023 and negotiating a purchase of the property.

He expressed wonder and doubt why the Civil Law Court continues to downplay hearing of the bill of information submitted by the CDC since August 29.

“Liberia is a country of law, and due process is the bedrock of our democracy and peaceful coexistence,” he said. “This is why we remain law abiding as a party even in relationship with our landlord while we were in political power.”

He continued: “The CDC calls on the Liberian legal community and international partners to take due cognizance of what is prevailing because it undermines our democracy and due process principle.”

Kowo threatened next plausible action would a writ of mandamus on the Civil Law Court to compel the hearing of bill of information submitted to it by the CDC.

Like his Secretary General, he insinuated political influences from its rival, the ruling Unity Party, which itself was once ejected from its headquarters over rental dispute.

Calling to recent incidents in which the ruling UP, according to him “unprovokedly invaded the CDC headquarters,” splashing live bullets and teargas at CDCians, Kowo said the ruling party has a hand behind its rental imbroglio.

The Analyst had difficulties getting to the civil law court to verify Kowo’s claims of delayed hearing and other matters relative to the case.

Like UP, Like CDC?

Though the Unity Party at the time repeatedly refuted it was not being asked to get evicted from its Congo Town office, the chicks later came home to roast when Monrovians saw trucks totting the UP’s office equipment and other properties to a new headquarters.

While it was in opposition, the Unity Party faced eviction in real time as it was ordered evicted from its Congo Town Headquarters by the Civil Law Court “for failure to settle” US$150,000 rental fees”.

It was reported that the party’s lawyers had made open confession in court that they were indebted to the McClain Enterprises, owner of the building that the Unity Party’s headquarters.

Civil Law Court Judge, Kennedy Peabody on held the party liable, in a summary proceedings that were intended to recover possession of real estate property from the Unity Party.

The court had reportedly reduced the owner of the building USD$ 250,000 demand for damages to USD$ 20,000 before evicting the former the Party from the property.