-Team Unity terms Induction of officials “Undemocratic”
By Jerromie S. Walters
The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) marked its 60th anniversary with the induction of newly elected officers on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at the Bella Casa Hotel in Sinkor, Monrovia. However, this celebration has been overshadowed by ongoing internal strife within the organization.
The interim committee, led by Mr. Peter Quaqua, initiated a two-day series of events to honor the union’s milestone. Yet, this did little to quell the deep-seated conflict that has plagued the PUL for over a year.
In the lead-up to the induction, Team Unity, one of the factions within the union, issued a warning to international donors and partners. They cautioned that attending the inauguration of Julius K. Kanubah and his fellow officers would have meant an endorsement of an undemocratic process, undermining principles of fairness, transparency, and democratic governance.
The elections held on September 21, 2024, were allegedly marred by irregularities. 208 out of 1,280 eligible voters—approximately 16% of the union’s total membership—cast their ballots. This turnout was largely due to a boycott by 84% of the members.
The integrity of the election is further called into question by an impending legal hearing that seeks to address procedural discrepancies and allegations of disenfranchisement during the voting process. Despite these concerns, the inauguration is set to proceed, a move that Team Unity argues will validate the irregularities and exacerbate the ongoing division within the union.
Moreover, Team Unity believes that the 9th Judicial Circuit Court’s directive for fresh elections was disregarded by the interim leadership, raising further concerns about their commitment to democratic principles.
Team Unity contends that this disregard for due process reflects an intent by Mr. Quaqua and his committee to maintain power through undemocratic means. They have strongly advised international partners against participating in or recognizing the induction ceremony, warning that such involvement would undermine the union’s commitment to fair and open elections.
Veteran Journalist, Former PUL President, and Publisher of the Daily Observer Newspaper, Kenneth Y. Best, inducted the officers, while the Resident Representative of the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Josephine Nkrumah, delivered the keynote speech.
Those inducted were Julius Kanubah, President; Beatrice Sieh, Vice President; Akoi Baysah, Secretary-General; and Julius Konton, Assistant Secretary-General. The new Union leaders will serve for the next three years.
The PUL’s interim leadership, in a press statement, references that those indicted were elected on 21 September 2024 at the Effort Baptist Church School in Paynesville in a rerun election mandated by the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County. The rerun election followed the annulment of the November 19, 2022, disputed Union elections in Gbarnga.
