Liberia: NEC Affirms Ruling in Rainbow Alliance Case

22 December 2022
The New Dawn (Monrovia)

The Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission (NEC), has confirmed and affirmed the ruling of its Chief Dispute Hearing Officer in the Complain case of the Rainbow Alliance (RA), relating to the withdrawal case of two of its members.

However, lawyers representing the complainants, led by Cllr. Emmanuel A. Turay has accepted the ruling and announced an appeal to the Supreme Court of Liberia.

The Rainbow Alliance complains that two of its members, the Union of Liberian Democrats (ULD), and Redemption Democratic Congress (RDC) did not fully comply with the Alliance three steps procedures for withdrawal.

However, the NEC Board in its ruling on Wednesday, cited section 2.3 of the Rainbow Alliance Framework document as reliance for its final ruling for denial.

Section 2.3 of the Rainbow Alliance document states, that a constitute party wishing to withdraw must have a resolution signed by two thirds of executive members, observed a waiting period of ninety days and pay, if any, all financial arrears to the alliance.

The NEC ruling said, the Rainbow Alliance Framework which is above the Rainbow Alliance Plan Document does not require a member to follow the three steps procedures for withdrawal nor does it provides any penalty for a member who withdraws from the Alliance.

The ruling of the NEC Board read on Wednesday, 21 December 2022 by the Clarke of the Administrative Court, found out that the Chief Dispute Hearing Officer, Cllr. Muana Ville was right to deny the appellant's appeal on grounds that NEC does not have the authority to the ask the (ULD), and (RDC) to pay dues.

The Chief Dispute Hearing Officer of NEC found out during the hearing that the two parties wrote a letter in March of 2022 to authorities of the Rainbow Alliance, requesting to withdraw from the Alliance and subsequently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with the Congress for Democratic Change, (CDC).

The defendants were represented in court by Atty. S. Patterson Blomo, while the complainants were represented by Cllr. Emmanuel A. Turay.

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