Supreme Court Injects Calm In PUL Elections Hubbub -Advises Internal Settlement, As Kanubah Team Bites Incumbency

MONROVIA – The Press Union of Liberia, which prides itself as watchdog of the larger society, is edging on internal squabbles that could inflict long-lasting impact on the Union if sobriety and pragmatism are not summoned on both sides of aisle. Already, the Justice in Chambers at the Supreme Court has refused to vociferously wield the gavel but has acted prudently by advising the Fourth Branch of Government to not wash its dirty linens in the public glare. But as steps are taken by the incumbent leadership to conduct itself as advised, the opposition Kanubah Team suspects foul play yet again, as The Analyst reports.    

The outgoing President of the Press Union of Liberia, Charles Coffey, announced a constitution of a special “Independent Media Stakeholders Committee” to spearhead head an-out-of-court settlement of disputes arising from the conduct of the this years’ PUL elections.

The decision by Mr. Coffey is expressly in adherence to Supreme Court Justice in Chamber His Honor Yusif Kaba mandate, following a conference with concerned parties on Wednesday November 23.

Members of the Independent Media Stakeholder Committee to probe into the current electoral disagreement among members of the Union include Prof. Weade Kobbay-Boley Chairperson, Kenneth Y Best Advisor, Mrs. Melisa Annan Chea Representing the Association of Liberian Journalists in Americas, Martin Brown, A. Trokon Tarr, Euriah Togar, Teah Doegmah and Maureen Sieh.

Coffey said in a release that the objective of the committee is to ensure the smooth resolution of the current electoral disagreement at the Union.

Team Kanubah Reacts

But before inks got dry of the Coffey release, the National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for the presidency of the Press Union of Liberia came out with a release accusing the PUL out-going President as “proceeding selfishly wrongly despite Wednesday’s conference advice by Associate Justice in Chambers Yussif Kaba.”

Team Kanubah said in a release that it was particularly concerned and appalled by the action of former president Coffey to constitute what he calls an “Independent Media Stakeholder Committee” without any form of consultation.

Team Kanubah believes it is a dangerous misstep by the PUL former President and a gross misrepresentation of the advice by Associate Justice Kaba.

“As Presiding Justice in Chambers, Justice Kaba had called for all sides to the controversy surrounding the 2022 PUL Congress to meet and find solution to the disputed PUL Congress and subsequent elections,” the Team Kanubah release further said.

“The Julius Kanubah Campaign Team states that as a key party to the controversy former President Coffey cannot be the one dictating the constitution of a Committee while absolving himself and the PUL from the crisis and the mess he jointly created at the PUL with his competent escort Daniel Nyakonah.”

Team Kanubah emphasized that while it will not question the credibility and competences of those appointed by Mr Coffey, it has no inch of confidence in the decision of Mr Coffey because of his recurring error of judgment and his tendencies not to reach out to the Julius Kanubah Team.

“It must also be made clear that there is no case between Team Julius Kanubah and what is known as Team Daniel,” the Team said, adding: Team Kanubah filed cases against the now erstwhile PUL leadership along with its 2022 Congress Committee and the sub-Committee on Elections and Inauguration as well as the PUL Membership Committee.

“As one of the parties to the controversy, Team Kanubah, having called for credible media actors to take seize of the leadership vacuum at the PUL following the expiration of tenure of the Charles Coffey – Daniel Nyakonah leadership, is working on a strategic roadmap aimed at finding solution to the controversy surrounding the 2022 PUL Congress and the subsequent bogus elections.”

Team Kanubah called on all its hundreds of supporters, members of the Press Union of Liberia and those interested in the democratic development of the PUL and Liberia to remain calm and peaceful as the appropriately legally necessary and constructive steps are being taken.