Almost at the eve of the midterm senatorial elections, looming trouble has been developing in the camp of the opposition Unity Party (UP) with the National Executive Committee of the party announcing suspension of UP Chairman Wilmot Paye; but the Chairman rejected his suspension and said it is a Joseph Boakai-Ellen Sirleaf Conspiracy. “It is only the delegates from the 15 counties of the country that can make a decision to suspend the Chairman of the party,” Mr. Pay surrounded by scores of battle-crying supporters last evening at the party headquarter exclaimed; writes Bill Jarkloh.
While Mr. Paye was addressing his supporters on his take of the decision to suspend him, the Unity Party’s Assistant Secretary for Press and Propaganda, Mr. Mohammed Ali, confirmed the suspension of Chairman.
Confirming the suspension to journalists, Mr. Ali said the Executive Committee of the UP met and decided to suspend Chairman Paye pending the outcome of a two-week investigation that will provide for further action on the matter.
Later in an official release later issued by the Party, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Unity Party has voted to suspend Wilmot J. M. Paye as National Chairman of the party with immediate effect.
The release said Chairman Paye’s suspension is as a result of a unilateral decision taken to hold a press conference in which he (Chairman Paye) called on UP partisans in the name of the party to stay away from the peaceful assembly organized by group of Liberians under the banner of the Council of Patriots.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) considers Wilmot’s pronouncement in a press conference held on January 5, 2020 as gross insubordination to both the National Executive Committee and the entire party.
The NEC therefore constituted a Special Committee yesterday to investigate the motive for Chairman Paye’s unilateral decision on such critical national issue.
“The Chairman will remain suspended until the committee can complete its investigation and report findings within a period of two weeks for further actions,” the release said.
According to thew release, members of the Committee include Mrs. Dabah Mabande Varpilah – Chairperson; Cllr. Peter Bonah Jallah – Legal Advisor; Mrs. Cornelia Kruah-Togba – Secretary; Richard Nagbe Koon – Member; and Loseni Sayon – Member.
In another development, the NEC voted to lift the suspension of Partisan Whroway Bryant. The lifting of the suspension means that Whroway will immediately resume his position as Vice Chairman of the National Youth Congress of the Unity Party.
But Chairman Paye who had just arrived at the Party Headquarters in Congo Town last evening and met by a group of supporters rejected the suspension.
He told his supporters an executive community in Monrovia has no right to suspend him in the absence of the leadership of the UP branches from the 15 counties of Liberia.
The tough talking Chairman of the Unity Party this Boakai – Ellen Conspiracy is a flop. “They are fighting us because the know that we hate corruption: they are fighting us because our character is impeccable; the fighting us because they have tested us inside out and known us to be credible,” Chairman Paye spiritedly said amidst battle cries from all over around him.
“We make a commitment to fight corruption; no one can take it from us. What they have done have strengthened our resolve for justice,” Chairman Paye.
He said he is the same Paye who, at 20 as a student leader, stood before Charles Taylor and told him the truth of his governance system. “I am the same Paye who refuse appointment from corrupt people yesterday,” he said.
Chairman pay wondered what authority did former Vice President Boakai and him were voted on white ballot has to instrument his suspension out the appropriate channel.
He explained about a publication that he read from the FrontPageAfrica newspaper in which former VP Boakai said he cannot work with him, accusing him of being in league with ANC.
But he warned that the position by the UP executive Community is in essence destroying the collaboration that they have all fought for in the opposition.
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