Monrovia – The Chairman of the National Elections Commission (NEC), Cllr. Jerome Korkoya, says the Commission will comply with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court on parts of the code of conduct.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway – [email protected]
“What the National Elections Commission will be doing is to obey the Court’s opinion and comply strictly with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Code of Conduct. I don’t want to comment on this further, but I can tell you this: whatever the Supreme Court says will be followed to the letter,” Cllr. Korkoya said on a local radio talk show.
“If the Supreme Court broadens the language on the Code of Conduct, we will follow that opinion; if it narrows the language on the Code of Conduct, we will follow anything the Supreme Court says.”
But while the NEC is yet to start flexing its muscles on the Code of Conduct, some political actors are already finding escape routes with new arguments they believe put them outside the perimeters of the controversial law.
One of such politicians is Dr. J. Mills Jones who ended his two terms as Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia in March 2016.
At a press conference in Monrovia Monday, the Chairman of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) – a party formed and headed by Jones – Dee Maxwell Kemayah, said though MOVEE believes in the peaceful conduct of elections, the party and the Liberian people will not accept the prevention of Dr. Jones from contesting the presidency.
Kemayah in a rather strong tone told reporters: “The Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) believes in the conduct of peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections; and more importantly, the general peace and stability of Liberia; and that Dr. J. Mills Jones will in no way be stopped from exercising his franchise or inalienable right to contest for any position of choice in Liberia; in this case, the Liberian presidency come October 2017 as desired and petitioned by the Liberian people. Any attempt to stop Dr. Jones from contesting or running for the presidency in the October 2017 elections, the Liberian people will not accept it.”
“The Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) wants to make it unequivocally clear that Dr. J. Mills Jones, political leader and standard bearer of MOVEE will absolutely be on the ballot paper as a Presidential candidate to contest in the October 2017 elections as he – Dr. Jones has not violated, and will not violate any part of the Constitution,” he reiterated.
Kemayah called on members of the party and county chairpersons to remain resolute in their support for Jones
He argued that Jones, during his tenure as Governor, never expressed desire or interest neither was he petitioned to contest the presidency until he completed his tenure.
“It is very important to stress that whether or not the Code of Conduct is constitutional, it’s immaterial to Dr. Jones.”
“The fact is that after his invaluable and exemplary service at the Central Bank of Liberia as its Executive Governor, Dr. Jones got in the race today in response to the petition from the Liberian people. Dr. Jones decided to honor the request of the Liberian people who petitioned him,” he noted.
Kemayah contended that his standard bearer granted the desire of his petitioners, and it was indeed fulfilling the desire of his petitioners and large group of Liberians in towns and villages across the country as the standard bearer of MOVEE for the October 2017 General and Presidential elections.
“Nowhere in the Code of Conduct does it say that any Liberian or group of Liberians cannot request or petition a former public official to contest for a public elective office or that a former public official cannot accept the petition of Liberians to contest after leaving public office,” Kemayah argued.
Jones is not the only politician attempting to dodge the Section 5.2 of the Code which states: “Any other official appointed by the President who holds a tenured position and desires to contest for public elective office shall resign said post three (3) years prior to the date of such public elections”
Political newcomer Alexander B. Cummings who was also appointed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as a non-statutory member of the Board of Directors of Bookers Washington Institute (BWI) is also trapped by the law.
However, the Alternative National Congress (ANC) said in a statement “Amid several false reports and rumors about Mr. Alexander B. Cummings’ eligibility to run for office, we would like to formally clarify that Mr. Cummings candidacy for President is in no way affected by the Code of Conduct regulations, and that he is in full accordance with the law and all NEC regulations. We and his supporters across the country are fully confident that his candidacy for President will be successful and Mr. Alexander B. Cummings will be elected President this coming October.”
Others expected to be axed by the Code of Conduct include current Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister, Julia Duncan-Cassell who recently accepted a petition to contest as representative of District #1 in Grand Bassa County; Harrison Karnwea currently serving as Managing Director of Forestry Development Agency but being eyed to be a running mate to Cllr. Charles W. Brumskine; Former Liberian Ambassador to the U.S., Jeremiah Sulunteh rumored to be a vice to Cummings, amongst others.
Henry Karmo contributed to this report