NPP Recruiting Legislative, Presidential Candidates -Chairman Biney Says Jewel Howard Taylor Tenure Expired

MONROVIA – Against the backdrop of Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor’s National Patriotic Party (NPP) faction calling on Justice Minister F. Musa Dean to investigate Maryland County Senator James P. Biney for issuing statements that threatened her security during a recent chatroom post, Senator Biney, who is also recognized as National Chairman by another faction of the NPP, says as of Saturday, December 2, 2022, Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor’s tenure as Standard Bearer of the NPP constitutionally ended in line with Articles 3.2 and 9.1 of the NPP’s Constitution, and as a result, neither she nor any other official of the Party can succeed himself or herself more than once. According to the statement, the NPP National Executive Committee, therefore, on Thursday, December 29, 2022 mandated the Secretary General to give notice inviting application from members for nomination as the Party legislative and presidential candidates.               

In accordance of Article 3.2 of the NPP Constitution, there shall be a national convention held once every six years or during the year of general and presidential elections, amongst other things, to nominate and endorse candidates for presidential and legislative positions as a result of primaries held in the political subdivisions. Article 9.1 also states that no officer or official of the Party can succeed himself or herself more than once.

“Except amended, the constitution of the NPP prohibits Madam Taylor and all elected officials from seeking a third term. Madam Taylor was first elected Standard Bearer of the Party in 2010 and was reelected 2016 for a six-year term. In line with the National Elections Commission published electoral guidelines and the NPP Constitution section 11. 1 (nomination of legislative candidates) and 11.2 (nomination for presidential candidates) the National Executive Committee in its Thursday, December 29, 2022 siting mandates the Secretary General to give notice inviting application from members for nomination as the Party legislative and presidential candidates,” Chairman Biney said in a press statement issued Thursday, December 29, 2022.

Providing a backdrop to the current internal wrangling within the NPP, Chairman Biney recalled that on August 4, 2022, the Supreme Court handed down two separate rulings in the NPP matter before it; in the first case, “Jewel Howard Taylor, Standard Bearer vs James P. Biney, National Chairman et al” the Supreme Court sustained the Civil Law Court ruling which held that “having perused the records of the case and the contentions of the parties, the court holds that (Standard Bearer), Jewel Howard Taylor an ex-officio member of the NPP National Executive Committee has no authority to convene meeting and or issue formal communications in the name of the Party.

“The Court further says, all actions taken by the Standard Bearer to convene meetings, to preside over meetings, conventions and administer the affairs of the Party administratively were illegal and unconstitutional, and hence, reversible and unenforceable, and accordingly, the Standard Bearer herein are all, jointly and severally barred, prevented, prohibited and restrained from attempting to usurp, interfere with, obstruct, impede, and assume any of the functions and operations of the National Executive Committee.” In said case, the Supreme Court also upheld the 2004 Constitution produced by the Biney’s leadership and its amendments which were adopted in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, 2016. “The Court furthered that the alleged 2016 revised Constitution relied on by Madam Jewel Howard Taylor, Standard Bearer of the NPP, be simultaneously declared illegal, null and void ab-initio; that the National Chairman, the National Secretary General and other ranking members of the National Executive Committee, are the proper and lawful authority to convene meetings of the Party and issue out publication in the name of the Party.

“In its second ruling, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of the National Elections Commission and recognized James P. Biney, as the legitimate Chairman of the Party and all other officers in his leadership, and requested him, Chairman Biney to take the Party to its 7th Biennial Convention in line with the Party Constitution, and mandated the Civil Law Court to resume jurisdiction over the matter.

“On the strength of these two rulings, the Civil Law Court mandated the Biney’s leadership to take the Party to its 7th Biennial Convention before October 15, 2022,” the press statement indicated.

According to the statement, on October 7, 2022, the Biney’s leadership, having notified the Elections Commission, convened the NPP 7th Biennial Convention at the Paynesville Town Hall. In line with article 17.3 of the NPP Constitution which states “all decisions on issues arising at conventions and meetings, shall be made by secret ballots, one man, one vote. The delegates duly accredited at the Convention, elected the following officials, to include: Snator James P. Biney, Chairman; Atty. George S. Mulbah, Vice Chairperson for Administration; Mr. Daoda Metzger, Vice Chairman for Operations; Atty. J. Allison Barco, Vice Chairman Governmental Affairs; Dopoe Menkazon, Vice Chairman Special Project; and Ms. Charlyne A. Taylor, Vice Chairperson on Inter-Party Affairs.

Others included Mr, John A. Siaway, Vice/ Planning, Policy and Research; Mr. Orlando Yaoh, Vice Chair/Finance and Investment; Ms. Sylvia Zoe Taylor, Vice Chair/Social Services; and Mr. Thomas G. Goba, National Treasurer.

Disclosing further, Chairman Biney said while the delegates were in the hall conducting the business of the convention, Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor, who never entered the convention hall, assembled a disorderly crowd, in gross disregard to the ruling of the Supreme Court, in the yard of the Paynesville Town Hall, she inducted herself as Standard Bearer for a third term, and pronounced Cllr. Stanley Kparkillen as Party Chairman and Mr. Morris G. Paye as Secretary General.

“In response to her action, Chief Cyril Allen, Chairman Emeritus of the Party issued a public condemnation of Madam Taylor’s action and termed it unconstitutional. Additionally, the Governing Council of the Coalition for Democratic Change released a statement affirming the Biney’s leadership and rejecting Kparkillen as Chairman of the NPP.

“Mrs. Taylor, subsequently announced to the public that she stood by her actions and called on the Coalition to recognize that the NPP is an independent Party. She has since run parallel party structures in Monrovia and in counties where her actions are rejected by the NPP partisans.

“Be that as it may, on the 2nd Saturday of December, 2022, Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor’s tenure as Standard Bearer of the NPP constitutionally ended in line with articles 3.2 and 9.1 of the NPP’s Constitution. 3.2, there shall be a national convention held once every six years or during the year of general and presidential elections, amongst other things, to nominate and endorse candidates for presidential and legislative positions as a result of primaries held in the political subdivisions; 9.1,  no officer or official of the Party can succeed himself or herself more than once. Except amended, the constitution of the NPP prohibits Madam Taylor and all elected officials from seeking a third term. Madam Taylor was first elected Standard Bearer of the Party in 2010 and was reelected 2016 for a six-year term.

“In line with the National Elections Commission published electoral guidelines and the NPP Constitution section 11. 1(nomination of legislative candidates) and 11.2 (nomination for presidential candidates) the National Executive Committee in its Thursday, December 29, 2022 siting mandates the Secretary General to give notice inviting application from members for nomination as the Party legislative and presidential candidates.    

“In a related development, as the Coalition Document comes to an end, the constituent Parties have constituted a Framework Document Committee to draw up a new framework that will be acceptable and beneficial to the Parties. When progress is made on this front, we will inform you appropriately.

“Finally, the National Executive Committee of the Party calls on all its partisans across the country to remain law abiding and corporate with the National Executive Committee,” said the press statement issued by the National Executive Committee of the National Patriotic Party, with the approval of Senator James P. Biney, National Chairman and Presiding Officer of the NPP-NEC.

All efforts to talk to NPP Standard Bearer, Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor proved futile up to press time.