Liberia: Supreme Court Gives Bility Teeth to Bite

17 April 2023
The New Dawn (Monrovia)

-Reminds NEC of Nyonblee's expulsion

The recent ruling by the Supreme Court ruling in the Liberty Party (LP) long-running constitutional and leadership battle has given the party's embattled Chairman Musa Bility teeth to bite with the latter reminding NEC of Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence's expulsion as political leader.

"...we kindly inform you that Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence is no longer the Political Leader of Liberty Party (LP)," the LP said in a memo issued over the weekend.

Sen. Karnga-Lawrence was expelled from the position of Political Leader in March 2022 and appealed to the Court to invalidate the expulsion on the basis that the LP National Executive Committee did not have the authority to expel her because the LP 2021 Special National Convention that voted the National Executive Committee into leadership and the Constitution that came out of that Special National Convention were both illegitimate.

But the Supreme Court last Wednesday, April 12, declared LP Constitution filed at the National Election Commission (NEC) and the LP leadership duly elected and inducted at the January 2021 LP Special National Convention in Gbarnga legitimate.

The case arise from an alternative writ of certiorari filed by Bility against Sen. Karnga Lawrence, Emmanuel Azango, and NEC, after Chambers Justice Yusuf Kabba ordered the NEC to resume jurisdiction over a pending case containing disagreements on certain provisions within the Liberty Party's constitution.

In a memo issued by the LP and copied to several diplomatic missions and organizations near Monrovia, Mr. Bility informed all of the Supreme Court's ruling and the decision of the party against key figures.

Excerpts of the memo:

"Please be informed that the Supreme Court (SC) of Liberia has handed down its final ruling in the Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in the case Musa Hassan Bility and others of the Liberty Party (Appellees) v. National Elections Commission, Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence and Emmanuel Azango (Respondents), declaring the Liberty Party (LP) Constitution filed at the National Election Commission (NEC) and the LP leadership duly elected and inducted at the January 2021 LP Special National Convention in Gbarnga.

As such, please note that the National Executive Committee, under the leadership of the National Chairman, Mr. Musa Hassan Bility, is the only body authorized to manage the day-to-day affairs of the LP.

Also, we kindly inform you that Sen. Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence is no longer the Political Leader of Liberty Party (LP). Sen. Karnga-Lawrence was expelled from the position of Political Leader in March 2022 and appealed to the Court to invalidate the expulsion on the basis that the LP National Executive Committee did not have the authority to expel her because the LP 2021 Special National Convention that voted the National Executive Committee into leadership and the Constitution that came out of that Special National Convention were both illegitimate. The recent SC Ruling has explicitly addressed both matters by declaring that both the LP 2021 Special National Convention and the resulting Constitution are legitimate and that the LP National Executive Committee is, constitutionally, clothed with the authority to manage the affairs of the Party.

Additionally, as per the LP Constitution, her tenure as Political Leader expired in October 2022.

We ask, therefore, that you please refrain from conducting business pertaining to LP with anyone other than the National Executive Committee, under the leadership of Mr. Musa Hassan Bility.

in the Liberty Party long running leadership battle has given embattled Chairman Musa Bility teeth to bite as he writes the National Elections Commission (NEC) reminding that body that Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence is no longer the Political Leader of Liberty Party (LP)."

Bility had argued in the instant case at the time that only a court of competent jurisdiction has the authority to preside over fraud relating to tampering and/or altering the constitution, which is a legal instrument. Bility's argument stands from Justice Kaba's decision to dismiss a decision from both the NEC Hearing Officer and Board of Commission, favoring Bility, following a writ of certiorari filed by Senator Lawrence and Azango.

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