Africa-Press – Liberia. Executive Committee members of the People’s Restoration Party have written the National Elections Commission (NEC), expressing a vote of no confidence in the party’s chairman, Richmond D.K Yarkpah.
Yarkpah is accused of failing to take the party to a convention, having a secret meetings without the knowledge of executive committee members, and fraudulently taking a signature of executive committee members on documents of the party without their prior knowledge.
It’s the latest twist in a longstanding internal wranglings that have engulfed the newly certificated party after some executive committee members recently opposed Yarkpah’s decision to expel some members of the party without their acknowledgment.
Appearing at an NEC Hearing Thursday, January 27, one of the witnesses from the complainants, Sattia Y. Sheriff, said the Vision Bearer Kollie Alexander had contacted Yarkpah to help lead the registration process following the establishment of the party in 2010, but the chairman is making decision outside rules governing the party.
“Mr. Richmond D.K Yarkpah was appointed by Executive Committee Members and led the party to be certificated by the National Elections Commission and he is expelling members without prior knowledge of the Executive Committee Members,” Madam Sheriff said.
She said Yarkpah was appointed as an acting chairman until the party is certificated, upon which, they would go to a convention in six months, but has allegedly failed, thus prompting them to pass a vote of no confidence in him.
These actions according to the party’s Executive Committee do not commensurate with the policies governing the party’s objective, and as such, they have no option, but to complain to the NEC for redress.
They fear that a delay to take the party to the convention after six months could lead to de-certification and that in the absence of a constitution, the executive committee can as well take the party to the convention.
The executive committee members said all efforts to have a dialogue in addressing the situation are yet to materialize as Yarkpah has already planned to suspend them.
However, witnesses representing Yarkpah at the Hearing, Decontee Tokyo Jerbo, Secretary of the party, refuted the claims against Yarkpah, noting that several members willingly left due to “laziness, inconsistencies, and poor human relations” from Kollie.
“As time went by after the certification, Mr. Kollie began to show some funny attitude towards Yarkpah and his followers. Yarkpah has been the organizing chairman recognized by the NEC.
“Whenever he calls a meeting other people Will does not attend on grounds that they didn’t see it necessary working with Mr.Yarkpah, but this is the man who has been recognized by the NEC,” Kollie noted.
However, following Thursday proceeding, NEC Hearing Officer Cllr. Allen Burtrick, suspended the hearing until next Tuesday, and served a notice of assignment for everyone present to be at the hearing at 1 pm.
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