MONROVIA – Documents in the possession of FrontPageAfrica reveal that the chairman of the National Patriotic Party (NPP) James Biney has been refusing to submit himself to the party’s constitution and the reconstitution of the National Executive Committee (CEC) contrary to his allegation that the standard-bearer, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor had thwarted the party’s constitution.
Biney had posted to Facebook that the NPP is gradually becoming an “individual-controlled entity” under the regime of standard bearer Jewel Howard Taylor.
“I and many have invested too much to see what was once Liberia most democratic party become an individual-controlled entity. If the court doesn’t come in to rescue NPP, the party will become the Standard Bearer’s PROPERTY and the property of anyone who becomes Standard Bearer tomorrow,” he posted to Facebook.
However, FrontPageAfrica obtained a May 27, 2020 communication from the standard bearer addressed to Biney informing him of the of the need to meet and develop a roadmap for the future of the party.
“Mr. Chairman, as you are aware, effective February 22, 2020 the mandate of most elected officials of the National Executive Committee, with the exception of the Standard Bearer and the Secretariat, were deemed expired consistent with Article 9.1 of the Party’s Constitution and the records of the Buchanan Convention. Therefore, it is imperative that the NEC convenes to develop a roadmap for the future of the party,” the communication stated.
The standard-bearer then requested an emergency meeting of the NEC which was originally scheduled for June 6, 2020 at the party’s headquarters. The meeting was expected to focus on the pending county restructuring, senatorial elections and the holding of the 7th Biennial Convention.
However, Biney rescheduled the meeting for June 12 and formally communicated such to the standard-bearer.
Based on the rescheduling of the meeting, Madam Taylor wrote the Acting Chairperosn of the National Elections Commission, Madam Davidetta Brown Lasanah, requesting her to assign a representative of the National Elections Commission to observe the developing of a roadmap for the holding of the 7th biennial convention of the party.
The communication noted, “Honorable Chair and Honorable Commissioners, in the spirit of the ruling of the Board of Commissioners of the NEC handed down on June 11, 2019 in the intra-party dispute within the NPP, we are pleased to inform you of our full compliance with conditions contained therein (including reverting to leadership status quo ante, rescinding of our bill of exceptions to that ruling and the withdrawal of all petitions before the Civil Law Court). Hence, the first joint meeting of the NPP National Executive Committee is slated for June 12, 2020 at 2pm at the National Headquarters of the party in Congo Town. The purpose of this meeting is to develop necessary roadmap for the holding of the 7th Biennial Convention which is past due.”
On June 12, Madam Jewel Howard Taylor received another communication from the National Secretary General informing her that the due to the size of the party’s conference hall and taking into consideration the over 50 NEC members, to assemble, it was practically impossible for social distancing and other regulations by NPHIL and MOH to be observed. The meeting was then moved to Corina Hotel Conference Hall.
FrontPageAfrica gathered that the sudden change of venue made it impossible for the meeting to take place as the NEC members gathered at the party’s headquarters while another faction assembled at the Corina Hotel.
Mr. Biney, whom FrontPageAfrica gathered habors an ambition to contest against the NPP’s incumbent Dan Morias in the Maryland County Senatorial race on the ticket of the CDC has been creating bottlenecks for the holding of convention for the NPP.
A member of the party who asked for anonymity said, “Biney is playing games with the party. Some of the executives within in the NPP does not see the need for general primaries within the CDC which would render everyone including the incumbents vulnerable in the process. Biney wants to contest as Senator in Maryland and he wants to be on the CDC ticket. Therefore, he’s pushing for primaries, but should we allow this, the NPP might lose of its seats. That is the inhouse fight Biney is fighting and being dishonest to the NPP,” a source within the party said.
According to the source, despite all the democratic steps taken by the standard-bearer for the forward match of the party, Biney had continued to put up bottleneck to ensure that the NPP does not go for convention.