Monrovia – Rochell Woodson has officially withdrawn from contesting the pending Liberia Football Association April 14 election as a presidential candidate.
Report by Christopher C. Walker – [email protected]
According to the LFA Executive Committee member, her decision to withdraw her candidacy is based on “several irregularities and violations” in the process leading to the poll.
Madam Woodson said holding the election on April 14 as announced by the LFA and no integrity checks on candidates who are interested in election are some of the reasons she will not run to replace Musa Bility.
She has served as EC member for eight years. And said the Bility administration’s tenure expires on March 26, 2018 so conducting the election on April 14, is a clear violation of the standing rules of the football house that was amended in 2017.
Addressing a news conference on Thursday, March 22, the former campaign manager for “Team Bility” in 2014 stressed that Bility’s action to hold on to power violates Article 45.2 of the 2017 Revised LFA statues.
Article 45.2 states: “The President shall be elected by the Congress for a period of four years. His/her term of office shall begin after the end of the Congress at which he/she was elected.”
Woodson added: “This clearly indicates that the term of the Present President, 1st and 2nd Vice Presidents and Executive Committee members began on March 27, 2014 at the congress at which we were all elected, and shall end on March 26, 2018 making it exactly four years and nothing more.”
“As such, we cannot statutorily conduct any elections beyond this date in accordance with the law. We have heard of different interpretations of this particular portion, but it is clearly written that our tenure began at the end of the congress at which we were elected. “
“This was on Saturday, Mach 26, 2014.”
Mr. Bility said his tenure will expire on April 12, because the constitution of the FA says the tenure starts after his induction ceremony.
Meanwhile, the iron Lady of Liberian football has written FIFA, CAF, WAFU and the Government of Liberia on the violations.
Rochell also disclosed that it was agreed at an executive committee meeting on March 8, 2017 that all nomination of candidates should be made public but with the process ongoing despite numerous complains all of the registered candidates have not published their nominations something she believe is in no way transparent and it is unfair to other aspirants which might lead to the conduct of a fraudulent electoral process.
“Presidential aspirant Musa Shannon and some Executive Committee members have admitted receiving the Ebola funds sent by FIFA for humanitarian purposes during the Ebola outbreak in 2015, which they converted to their personal use.”
“These aspirants are presently paying back through their Executive Committee honorariums.”
“This is an integrity issue and needs to be addressed,” she added.
Refuting reports that she is protesting the process because she doesn’t have the needed support and nomination from clubs and affiliate members of the LFA, Rochell said she has what it takes to contest the election.
“I can display to you more than the five nominations that are required, and a check with a value of US$2,500 as stipulated, that has been written to the Liberia Football Association account.”
“This is the first step towards being a candidate. But I will rather not participate at all in a process that is marred by serious violations and irregularities that favor some parties. If it will not be done right, it should not be done at all.
“Our communications to FIFA, CAF, WAFU and other local stakeholders are being responded to, and the process of challenging these wrong acts has already begun.
Therefore, the Team Rochell G.D. Woodson for LFA President has decided to protest the entire process based on the gross violations of the LFA Approved 2017 Revised Statutes and irregularities by the Executive Committee and the LFA Elections Committee. We have also abstained from the entire process until these gross violations and irregularities are reversed and corrected to conform to the spirit and true intent of the Statute, which is the organic law that governs the running of the LFA,” Madam Woodson said.
The nomination, registration and scrutinizing process ended March 22, 2018 while the electoral committee is expected to announce the final listing of candidates on today March 23.
