Liberia: Liberty Party’s County Council Distances itself from Embattled Standard Bearer’s Meeting, Decision In Buchanan

MONROVIA — The Liberty Party’s County Council comprising of county chairpersons, has distanced itself from the January 28 & 29 meeting called by Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, the suspended political leader and other executives in Buchanan.

Recently, the Karngar-Lawrence fragment of the Liberty Party (LP) announced that the Executive Committee, at a meeting in Buchanan has expelled Chairman Musa Hassan Bility from the party.

However, in press statement issued by the Council through its Chairperson, Augustine Wiah, the Council stated that the meeting and decision taken in Buchanan were illegal and does not represent the party.

“Since the suspension of Senator Lawrence and other executive members, the suspended political leader and a few handfuls of officials continue to undermine the unity of the party, by bringing our party to public ridicule and downplaying the general interest of the party,” Mr. Wiah said in the statement.

He said the council abides by the December 22, 2021 decision which suspended the party political leader Senators Karngar-Lawrence, Abraham Darius Dillon and Steve Zargo, along with Mr. Jacob Smith and others for their refusal to pay dues required by the LP Constitution.

The Council, he added, has distanced itself from any meetings and activities organized by Senator Lawrence; adding that any decision coming out of any meeting called by her as political leader should not be taken seriously.

“The suspended political leader claimed that her family meeting in Buchanan on Saturday has expelled the national chairman, SG and many of us as council members recently clearly show the desperation for naked power and her way of bypassing the dues payment becoming an embarrassment for her and her likes who have benefited from the votes as a party,” he said.

He further called on the council and partisans to stand with the legally constituted body led by Chairman Musa Bility and recognized by the National Elections Commission. He called on Senators Lawrence and Zargo, along with Jacob Smith and other suspended officials to settle their dues and obligations.

The Liberty Party continues to be rocked by deepening internal crisis that observers say emanated from differences over the party hierarchy’s choice for the standard bearer position of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) of which it is a founding member.

The crisis hit all-time low when a group of executive members, led by Chairman Bility, suspended the Party’s standard bearer, Senator Karngar-Lawrence and other top officials including Senators Dillon (Montserrado) and Zargo (Lofa County), former LP Chairman.