Monrovia – Former model MacDella Cooper’s quest for the Liberian hit a major snag Tuesday when the Civil Court at the Temple of Justice nullified the party’s convention that declared her as the standard bearer.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
Cooper was declared standard bearer in the Union of Liberian Democrats primary which was held on April 22, 2017, at the Al Lagoon Resort outside Monrovia.
However, the results drew protests from some senior members of the party including its former standard bearer Jonathan Mason.
Mr. Mason and others members of the ULD later filed a writ to the Civil Law Court to have the result of the convention canceled.
In their petition to the court, the petitioners alleged that Cooper and others, unilaterally held the convention without the consensus of the executive council of the party something they claimed violated section 5.1 of the party’s by-laws and Constitution pointing fingers at the party’s chairman Solomon Khan for been behind the scheme to make Cooper the standard bearer.
However, in his ruling on Tuesday, Presiding Judge Boima Kontoe indicated that it was the ruling of the court that the convention be declared null and void because it was illegally held.
“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing circumstances in the case, it is the ruling of this court that the April 22, 2017 convention held by ULD Chairman Solomon Khan is declared null and Void,” said Judge Kontoe.
The judge’s ruling was objected to by lawyers representing the legal interest of Ms. Cooper, Cllr. Festus Nuwon who announced an appeal to the Supreme Court for its October 2017 sitting, his appeal was granted by the presiding Judge Boima Kontoe.
The Secretary General of ULD Prince Varney told FrontPageAfrica outside of the court that Cooper and others who were posing as elected leaders of the ULD are surely not and no one should recognize them.
“Mcdella Cooper is not our standard bearer, the executive council of the party is going to meet and we will announce the new convention date for our party”, said Varney.
Mr. Varney said that his next step after the decision of the court is to meet the National Election Commission (NEC) to get the go ahead to carry out the party nomination of its candidates for the Presidential and Legislative elections on October 10, 2017.
The Secretary General of the ULD Party went on to say that the court has spoken and that those who were claiming to be elected leaders of the party must now desist.
According to Varney, Cooper is unknown and untested and is not member of the ULD.
He added that she allegedly connived with Khan to elect her as standard bearer so that she can seek recognition outside of country at the expense of the party.
Mr. Solomon Khan, Acting Chairman of ULD, who is accused of unilaterally organizing the convention that chose Cooper as standard bearer of ULD chose not to speak on the matter when approached as he quietly left the courtroom.