CPP Warns NEC, Supreme Court Against Disrupting Peace -Says Denying Cape Mount Full Representation Unconstitutional

Nearly 160 days following conduct of the December 8, 2020 special elections, Grand Cape Mount County remains denied of full representation as it relates to the sitting of its senator-elect, in line with the Constitution of Liberia. Citing gross violations of constitutional provisions, the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) now says it takes serious exception to the deliberate and unjustified violation of the Liberian constitution by the National Elections Commission (NEC) and the Supreme Court of Liberia in the ongoing endless case involving CPP candidate (Simeon B. Taylor) who was declared winner by the NEC on December 13, 2020 and Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) candidate (Victor V. Watson), an act that the CPP views as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the peace, security and democracy of the country.

In a strongly worded press statement issues June 19, 2021, the CPP said the NEC and the Supreme Court, which have jurisdictional authority to investigate election complaints have raised questions of public trust in the ability of the officials to uphold and defend the constitution of Liberia.

“The CPP urges the NEC and the Supreme Court to stop all violations as actions and consequences breeding from such deliberate violation of the Liberian constitution has never been in the best interest of peace and national security and Grand Cape Mount County will be of no exception. These two agencies will be fully responsible shall there be any actions that will undermine the peace, security and democracy of our country,” the CPP warned, further clarifying that, whereas, the Constitution calls for 30 days by the NEC and 14 days with appeal to the Supreme court, a total of 44 days within which to receive and decide an election complaint, the NEC and the Supreme Court have gone more than one 120 days of hearing proceedings, contrary to Article 83 (C).

“And by the time the NEC reaffirms Senator-elect Simeon Taylor as the winner of the December 8, 2020 Special Senatorial Midterm Elections, the Constitution of Liberia would have been further violated, under Article 45, which established that each Senator shall serve a nine-year term. Already, the hearing is in its six months and might continue beyond if nothing is done to stop this violation. The CPP wonder if, we are a country of laws or men?” the opposition bloc conjectured.

The group said, in an earlier statement issued by the Executive Committee Chairman of the CPP, Musa Hassan Bility stated that ‘the CPP takes note of the fact that the Constitution of Liberia remains the fundamental law of the Republic of Liberia and that any law contrary to the Constitution is without legal effect, according to Chapter I, Article 2 of the Constitution.

“He indicated that the CPP is concerned about the growing violations of ‘relevant provisions’ of Chapter VIII of the constitution of Liberia, specifically, Article 83 (C ), which describes the processing of elections complaints and identifies the timeframe to receive and determine results of investigation by the NEC and the Supreme Court of Liberia,” the CPP noted.

The CPP in its release furthered that it is again expressing support for the position taken by the people of Grand Cape Mount County in support and protection of their voices at the ballot box, as submitted to the Liberian Senate on May 27, 2021, urging urgent action from that body in consonance with Chapter 1, Article 1 and Chapter VIII, Article 84 to end the six (6) months of denial of their full representation in the Liberian senate and to certificate and seat Hon. Simeon B. Taylor as the Senator of their County.

“The CPP has meanwhile expressed its commitment to working with its legislators in the National Legislature to ensure actions in defense of constitutional democracy in Liberia and to end the denial of the people of Grand Cape Mount County to full and just representation in the Liberian Senate,” the release issued under the banner of the bloc’s Secretariat maintained.