The People’s Liberation Party, through its General Policy Council, claiming to be the highest decision making body of the party, and made up of the Executive members, has given reasons that led to the removal of William Paye, Henry Sackie and Kansualism Kansuah, former Chairman, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs and Secretary General respectively for their involvement into acts which contravene the norms, by laws and constitution of the party.
The GPC says it is the highest decision making body of the People’s Liberation Party which comprises Executive Members of the PLP.
It was announced yesterday that a number of executive officials, including Mr. Wilmot Paye Chairman, Mr. Henry Sackie, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs and Mr. Kansualism Kansuah Secretary General of the party were dismissed.
According to a release signed and issued by Stephen Vorkor, Assistant Secretary General for Press and Public Affairs, the party say said the supposedly sacked officials committed various offenses and therefore removed from office.
The release noted that Chairman Paye was removed following thorough investigations into countless number of complaints brought against him by some members of the GPC and other local county officials of the party and for grossly violating the constitutional rights of several members of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) who are serving in leadership positions across several counties.
Giving details of the offences against Paye the release cited the poor handling of a previous conflict between the Acting Montserrado County Youth Assembly Chairman Trokon George and the Montserrado County Chairman Reuben Washington, without proper investigation and recommendation to the GPC for action.
The party said Paye singlehandedly proceeded and discriminatorily recalled the inducted Acting Montserrado County Youth Assembly Chairman, Mr. George, and replaced him with a member outside of the Montserrado County Youth Assembly leadership structure who is a District Coordinator that holds a key position in the current government.
“It was also established and confirmed that Mr. Paye directly instructed and authorized the Acting Montserrado County Chairman Washington to replace the entire leadership structure of the Montserrado County Youth Assembly with unknown members who have not been vetted and approved by the GPC,” the release said.
The release further stated that as a result of Mr. Paye’s mishandling of the above-mentioned situations, a Wing of the Montserrado County Youth Assembly staged a protest and presented a formal complaint against Mr. Paye adding that the protest brought the party to public disrepute.
“The protesters presented several counts, calling for the resignation of Mr. Paye raging from administrative ineptitude, lack of integrity, unilaterally rendering decisions, among others. The Party Leader Dr. Daniel E. Cassell had to intervene at the time,” the release indicated. “The Political Leader met with the entire leadership of the Montserrado County Youth Assembly and protesters to calm down the situation and return the party to normalcy.”
The PLP said that similarly, concerns have been reported and confirmed that Mr. Paye also unilaterally removed and replaced the Acting Nimba County Chairman-Titus Sonyah and other chairpersons from other counties from their positions as well as their entire leaderships and replaced them with other members of our party without prior knowledge, vetting, and approval by the GPC.
Stated the release further: “Mr. Paye has made multiple undermining and derogatory statements about the Party Leader, including boastfully and disrespectfully requesting the Political Leader Dr. Daniel E. Cassell to turn over the party to him to run and control its finances. The GPC sees this act as a total and clear act of greed, betrayal of trust and confidence reposed in him to serve as Chairman of the PLP.
“The GPC of the People’s Liberation Party finds these multiple defaming, undermining and derogatory comments made against the Political Leader of the party as not only divisive, undermining and condescending, but also grossly disrespectful and contrary to the core values of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP).”
The release said the GPC noted that though Mr. Paye was rescued from a failed political career within the body politics in Liberia followed by the climax of his rejection from the Unity Party (UP) for similar behavior, he continues to clearly demonstrate the behavior and spirit of undermining and ingratitude to a person who has truly spoon-fed and cared about you.
“On August 10, 2021, Mr. Paye again instructed the National Youth Assembly Chairman, Mr. Carlos Edison Tingban to form a specialized military brigade auxiliary group comprising of over 200 individuals with notorious backgrounds for the sole purpose of carrying out his personal agenda and creating similar and more severe insurrection and instability within our party from this point leading up to the convention, and without the consent of the Acting National Vice Chairman for Auxiliary-Cherno Jalloh and the GPC”, the release noted.
The party said the former Chairman’s dealings and actions of consistently violating the constitutional rights of leadership members of the PLP could have spilled over to other counties and significant future insurrections and instabilities could have sparked up within our party and therefore, the GPC deems it expedient and necessary at this time to relieve him off his post as acting Chairman of the PLP.
It noted that considering the severity of the above mentioned behaviors which are in direct violation of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) By laws and Constitutions, including Section 5.2, the consequential protest and instability caused within our party, and the possibility of future insurrections, protests, and instability that could prevent our party’s chance of ascending to state power, the PLP can no longer trust and hold confidence in Mr. Paye to hold such a position.
As for Mr. Henry Sackie, Acting Vice Chairman for Political Affairs, the release stated that the GPC observed non-compliance and lukewarm posture and attitude by the pair towards the implementation of his Term of References (TORs), stressing that he dismally performed in using his office to politically move the party forward in keeping with the PLP’s By-laws and Constitutions.
Commenting on the party’s claims on Kansuah, it said he was found wanting on two counts, the first being for engaging, recruiting and placing members of the party in leadership positions across several counties including Bong, Montserrado, etc., without complying with the guidelines of the GPC in vetting and approving those candidates.
Additionally, the party said he continuously violated this component of the constitution despite a “Cease and Desist” warning, subsequently resulting in conflicts and instabilities regarding structuring the leadership across those counties in accordance with the PLP’s Bylaws and Constitutions.
On the second note, the party said in keeping with his TOR, the Secretary General grossly deviated and poorly performed during the period under review as far as the GPC was concerned.
As regards the case of Carlos Edison Tingban, the Youth leader, the party said he was suspended for his involvement in fraud, abuse, and irresponsibility.
“Mr. Edison recruited over 200 individuals with notorious backgrounds for the sole purpose of carrying out his personal agenda and creating similar and more severe insurrection and instability within our party from this point leading up to the convention, and without the consent of the Acting National Vice Chairman for Auxiliary-Cherno Jalloh and the GPC,” the party said.
The release said that he has been in the constant habit of misusing the party’s vehicle which was assigned to him for the use of the National Youth Assembly by converting it to his personal use.
The party stated that furthermore, funds given to the former youth leader in connection with the invoice submitted for the purchase of materials for the Liberation Brigade was used to purchase a lower priced and poor quality of materials then that which was presented on the invoice and the difference in price was pocketed by him and later used to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday.
Commenting on their present statuses with the party, the release said the three former officials, Paye, Sackie, Kansuah and Tingban remain members of the PLP and the institution would like to use the medium to encourage them to turn over all properties of the party which they may still have in their possession.
The PLP stated that it remains focused, committed and steadfast to promote transparency, accountability and uphold its integrity as a political institution in Liberia.
“We urge our partisans and supporters to remain calm and supportive of our decision as we strive to liberate our country and its people, particularly the less fortunate, marginalized, distressed, vulnerable Liberian citizens among others as we weed out those serving as oppressors towards the attainment of this goal”, the party concluded
When contacted to get his side of the story, Chairman Paye said he was ashamed that gossip, rumors and hearsay will form the basis for anyone to make such an embarrassing decision.
He stated with emphasis that no person or political party can claim that authority to dismiss and tarnish the reputation of officials duly inducted into office and recognized by the National Election Commission (NEC).
He debunked the authenticity of what he called the purported meeting of the GPC that took the decision to remove him from office stating that the last time the GPC met was in July 2020 and no other was held according to the records of the party.
“If they are saying that the GPC met, then where, when, what was the agenda, who were present and where are the minutes?” the PLP Chairman queried the decision to dismiss him.
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