The National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah for the Presidency of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has expressed concern by the decision of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) to transact business with an illegitimate group of individuals in the name of the Leadership of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL).
The Julius Kanubah Campaign Team it terribly disturbed by a February 28, 2023 communication under the signature of Minister Ledgerhood J. Rennie, recognizing, Charles Coffey as the President of the Press Union of Liberia, whom he has invited to an “urgent meeting” yesterday, Thursday, March 2, 2023, along with what Minister Rennie called “the leadership of the PUL.”
Team Kanubah believes the decision of Minister Rennie effectively undermines the rule of law as a Stay Order which was placed on the activities of the PUL including induction of so-called officers-elect is still in effect on the Coffey–Nyakonah administration.
According to the statement issued in Monrovia, the team said the Stay Order, based on a motion by lawyers representing the National Campaign Management Team of Julius Kanubah, was placed by Judge Boima Kontoe of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County on December 15, 2022 and as such, the Stay Order has not been lifted and a case surrounding the PUL controversy is pending before the Full Bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Besides, Minister Rennie as a venerable member of the PUL should be aware that the constitutional three-year tenure of the quartet of Coffey–Nyakonah–Kenneh–Baysah at the PUL has long since expired – that is, since the Second Saturday of November 2022 in line with Article 11 of the PUL Constitution.
“What is also important to put on the record is that Charles Coffey whom Minister Rennie recognizes as the President of the Press Union of Liberia along with Musa Kenneh on the so-called leadership of the PUL, are currently actively engaged in national political campaigns in support of their election bids for a Representative Seat in the House of Representatives,” the statement said.
It went further that Charles Coffey is a self-styled aspirant of District 1 of Grand Kru County while Musa Kenneh is a self-proclaimed aspirant of District 2 of Montserrado County. As such, the Team Kanubah went further that national politicians with politically vested interest and a prejudiced mind-set are barred from holding leadership positions at the PUL.
Team Kanubah calls on Minister Rennie to kindly call-off his meeting with these politically oriented aspirants as they do not legitimately represent the PUL and holding any meeting with them would be an affront not only to the Judiciary but the wider journalism community still seeking justice in the wake of an ongoing case of fraud in relation to the 2022 PUL Membership Register.
“We suggest that Minister Rennie should direct all issues bordering on perceived ethical violations through the National Media Council of Liberia which is the authorized institutional mechanism at the PUL, responsible for handling ethical issues involving journalists, media institutions in relation to the public and government, and civil society,” the release said.
“Again, we urge the public NOT to do business with the former leadership of the PUL comprising Charles Coffey, Daniel Nyakonah, Musa Kenneh, and Akoi Baysah. We also call on our many supporters and members of the PUL interested in the democratic development of the PUL and Liberia to remain calm as we continue to peacefully pursue our case for justice to a logical end,”
But despite the call by Team Kanubah, the meeting went ahead yesterday as scheduled at the Ministry of Information, Culture Affairs and Tourism (MICAT) in Monrovia but details are not known.
