Monrovia – A serious standoff occurred between the standard bearer of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), Dr. Joseph Mills Jones and the party’s Assistant National Secretary, Mr. Jones James Roberts, for party property.
Report by Edwin G. Genoway, Jr [email protected]
The standoff, involving Dr. Jones and his junior official, ensued at the party’s headquarters in Congotown over the weekend.
Roberts told FrontPageAfrica that the impasse between him and his senior partisan erupted when Dr. Jones had allegedly ordered his security guards to burst open the generator house and take possession of the 7.5KVA generator, which powers the headquarters building, at the St Joseph’s Catholic Hospital junction in Oldest Congo Town.
“He came in with his security guards to collect the generator but I refused to allow them enter the power house.”
“While Dr. Jones and I were talking, the other security guard used rock to burst the lock on the generator house and he brought out the generator and attempted putting it in Dr. Jones’ car.”
“I stood tall and prevented them from putting the generator in the car that’s how I got wounded on my leg by the other guard, while tussling over the generator.”
“I immediately called the Vice Chairman, Mr. Dan Sayeh, who instructed me to not allow anyone take anything from the party headquarters and I followed his instructions,” he explained.
Roberts told journalists that because of his action to prevent the generator from leaving the compound, triggered an attack on him by Dr. Jones’ securities.
The MOVEE official said his decision to have prevented Dr. Jones’ security guards from taking away the machine was also based on instructions from the party’s Chair, Dee-Maxwell Kemanyan.
He claimed that he sustained pains in the back during the tussle over the generator with Dr. Jones and his securities.
Robert noted that the generator does not belong to Dr. Jones.
“It was the party’s chairman Dee Maxwell Kemanyan and his wife who bought and donated the machine to the party.”
“He was not the one who bought the generator for the party, it was the party’s chairman and his wife who bought and donated the machine to the party,” he noted.
Making official statement on behalf of the party, MOVEE Vice Chair for Press and Propaganda, Mr. Robert Sammie, said he was surprised to hear that Dr. Jones had gone to the headquarters to collect the party’s property.
“There are procedures in getting things out of the party compound and there are people responsible for that.”
“So, it is disappointing to hear that Dr. Jones had gone to burglarize the headquarters of the party to take the generator out,” he told the FPA.
It is reported that there are internal wrangling between some officials of MOVEE and their political leader, Dr. Jones, for decision taken to pledge support to the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) in the runoff election.
But Sammie denied knowing of any internal wrangling within the party saying if Dr. Jones had problem with the majority of the party’s decision he would have made a public announcement expressing his disappointment.
“Everyone in the party was not pleased with the decision taken to pledge support to the CDC in the runoff.”
“But we had no option because majority carried the day. We are in a democratic era where decisions are made by majority,” he said.
But Dr. Jones refused to respond to the allegation levied against him by the party when he was contacted by this paper via mobile phone.
He said he had better things to think about and he needed not to be bothered.
The latest situation seems that there is an internal wriggling among officials of MOVEE following the October 10th, 2017 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
Dr. Jones, who was MOVEE candidate on the presidential ballot, obtained over 12,000 votes amounting to 0.8 percent.
The party has since declared to support for CDC of Senator George Manneh Weah, an action that is reportedly against the decision of the Standard Bearer, Dr. J. Mills Jones, report said.