Monrovia — The Press Union of Liberia is calling on the Supreme Court of Liberia to speedily hear a Motion to Rescind Justice Joseph Nagbe ruling which annulled a Stay Order on the Inauguration of elected leaders of the Union.
The annulment motion was born from a case: Julius K. Kanubah vs. Press Union of Liberia Leadership, Membership, Congress & Election Committees. Team Kanubah had accused the Press Union of Liberia Leadership, Membership, Congress and Election Committees of voters' roll piling. An accusation the Leadership of the PUL has since described as preposterous and an intentional ploy to stain the reputation of the Union for self-seeking earns.
Team Kanubah in the lead up to PUL's election embarked on a campaign to ruin the reputation of the Union through outlandish accusations which it could not substantiate. It has accused the PUL's Membership Committee of placing twenty seven individuals on the voters' roll after the accreditation period. When the Team showed up for a hearing before the Membership, Congress & Election Committees, it was discovered that most of the individuals on the list were its supporters. Team Kanubah shamelessly agreed for the list to be added to the voters' roll. Team Kanubah asked the committees for two days to research and return with a detailed complaint, the days requested were granted by the committees.
Set to plunge the Union into deep confusion, Team Julius returned with a complaint against the Alternative Youth Radio (AYR) alleging that its journalists were not qualify to be full members of the PUL. Julius Kanubah and his Team refused to honor an invitation to hear the matter but elected to suggest change of goal post in the middle of the game by proposing the constitution of an independent committee to be headed by the National Civil Society Council of Liberia to clean up the voters roll. Team Kanubah suggestion was rejected by the Congress, and Election Committees. They were asked to show up for a cleanup of the voters roll. All parties show up with exception of Team Kanubah.
Fast forward, Team Kanubah and supporter conducted number of press conferences in which they spew outright lies and misinformation about the Union democratic credentials.
The second day of Congress in Gbarnga ended with an injunction being placed on the election of the Press Union of Liberia by Julius K. Kanubah and his supporters.
This injunction was vacated by the 9th Judicial Circuit Court, in Gbarnga, Bong County after lawyers representing the Press Union of Liberia filed a valid bound. The election proceeded as scheduled. Of the 1,211 registered voters, 350 votes were cast and 15 of those votes went to Julius K. Kanubah.
Team Kanubah which boycotted and disrupted the Congress with injunction filed Writ of Prohibition before Justice in Chamber Yousef Kaba praying that he annulled the entire election. Justice Kaba declined to grant the prohibition prayer.
Team Kanubah again returned to Gbarnga and placed a Stay Order on the inauguration of officers of the Press Union of Liberia. They had earlier withdrawn their initial Writ of Declaratory Judgement and made amendments. This action of the 9th Judicial Circuit Court was annulled by Justice in Chamber, Joseph Nagbe.
The PUL asserted that it is important that the Motion to Rescind be expeditiously treated, because it falls within the realm of the 2023 Elections noting that journalists and their protection hitch on the quality of the polls. It is urging the Supreme Court of Liberia to assign and hear the election fallout case within PUL before it because it is tie to the enrichment of the credibility of the 2023 General Election.
An induction of duly elected leaders of the Press Union of Liberia will work for the protection of journalists ahead, during and in the immediate aftermath of the general election, the Union stressed.
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The PUL said such works usually adds much needed value to the outcome of the election as free, fair, transparent and verifiable.
Meanwhile, the Coffey Administration has reiterated its initial position that it remains the legitimate leadership at the Union in the absence duly inaugurated leadership.
The Coffey Administration argued that it is the only legal entity to holdover at the Press Union of Liberia in the short-term while at same time debunking any talk of interim leadership at the Union as anti-democratic and a political ploy to make way for lazy and unpopular individuals ascend to the Union Leadership.
The Press Union of Liberia is calling on Team Kanubah and its supporters to join in the call for the Supreme Court to speedily hear its Motion to Rescind Justice Joseph Nagbe ruling which annulled a Stay Order placed on the Induction of Officials of the Press
