Africa-Press – Namibia. The former acting Chairman of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Mr. Wilmot Paye, has vowed to remain in politics despite the shattered happenings and occurrences that continue to characterize his political life in recent times.
It can be recalled that members of the General Policy Commission (GPC) of the PLP on Monday, September 20 unanimously voted to expel Mr. Paye and few others for allegedly violating the norms, Code of Values and Ethics of the party.
The PLP was fully certificated by the National Elections Commission (NEC) as a full-fledged political party on December 21, 2021.
The GPC is the highest decision-making body of the People’s Liberation Party. It comprises of Executive Members including the Party Leader, Chairman, all Vice-Chairpersons, Secretary, Women and Youth Chairpersons, Treasurer, among others.
In a letter dated September 20, 2021 and addressed to Mr. Paye, the GPC stated that since his removal as acting Chairman of the PLP, Mr. Paye continues to misrepresent himself in the public as Chairman of the party.
The communication was signed by the Acting National Organizing Chairman of the PLP, Mr. Tapple E. Doe.
It maintained that Mr. Paye and the others have been engaged into fabricating stories, which have no iota of truth to besmear the image and bring to public ridicule the PLP.
The GPC added that Mr. Paye continues to demonstrate gross violation of the Party’s norms, and as such, his membership with the party has been terminated.
“Please be advised that it has been brought to the attention of the Organizing Committee following your recent dismissal on August 16, 2021 as previous Chairman of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) for direct violation of the People’s Liberation Party’s (PLP) Norms, Code Values and Ethics, not only have you misrepresented yourself in the public as chairman of the PLP, but you have also engaged in fabrication of stories against the PLP, it’s Vision Bearer/Political Leader and Leadership, which once again clearly demonstrates your gross violation of the PLP’s Norms, Code Values and Ethics”.
“In view of the recent waves of gross violations of the PLP’s Norms, Code Values and Ethics, the Organizing Committee (OC) of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) do hereby expel your membership from the PLP as of the above-mentioned date”.
Mr. Paye was expelled from the party along several others including Mr. Henry Sackie, Kansualism Kansuah, Carlos Edison Tingban, Peddi Ross and Reuben Washingon for similar reasons.
In a brief chat with Reporters shortly after the GPC’s meeting, PLP Organizing Chairman, Mr. Tapple E. Doe, cautioned members of the public, including political parties to avoid doing business with the expelled individuals in the name of the party.
He warned that anyone who does political or any other business with Mr. Paye and the others on behalf of the PLP will be doing so at his/her own risk.
But barely a day after his expulsion, Mr. Paye told FrontPage Africa in an interview via telephone on Tuesday, September 21, 2021 that the decision was taken by the PLP after he had already informed the National Elections Commission (NEC) of parting company with the party.
“On September 17, 2021 which was Friday, I submitted a letter withdrawing my name, email, contacts and everything and informing the Elections Commission that I was no longer associated with the PLP and I copied Tapple E. Doe”.
He wondered while the PLP did not inform the public about his resignation from the party after being copied to the communication he sent to NEC.
He noted that the decision taken to leave the party prior to the pronouncement made by the PLP, through the GPC is his constitutional right.
When quizzed why he submitted a letter to NEC resigning his position, instead of officially informing the membership committee or the Organizing Chairman of the party, Mr. Paye stated that his particulars were sent to the commission as the acting National Chairman of the party and he needed to officially inform the NEC that he has parted company with the party and his contacts, email and others should be disassociated with the PLP.
Mr. Paye said he is not totally surprise about the decision taken by the party because, noting that “time can expose people”.
He emphasized that prior to joining the PLP, the party was previously presented to him as one that is willing to liberate the Liberian people and transform the country.
He disclosed that when he was approached by the PLP Vision Bearer to come on board the PLP, he frankly stated that, “I am too difficult to work with because; I am not prepared to compromise my principles”.
Mr. Paye pointed out that negotiations were finalized to join the PLP and he became the acting national Chairman of the party in February 2021 and subsequently resign from the former ruling Unity Party (UP).
“We started to work genuinely but unfortunately people started to deceive themselves and they fell that they were deceiving us”.
He termed as “timely but unfortunate” the decision taken by the PLP to expel him from the party after he has resigned.
In politics forever
He noted that his decision taken to remain in politics until God calls him is to help ensure a genuine transformation of Liberia.
“I am in politics forever as God grace continues to be upon and for me to be alive. It’s my fundamental right to be a part of the politics of Liberia; not only that-It’s also my conviction to work with those who will want this country to be transformed”.
Mr. Paye emphasized if his conviction requires joining another political party, which is not the issue now, he will follow suit based upon his conviction.
“My colleagues and I are Liberians and nobody can take our rights from us. We have a stake in Liberia and nobody is going to discourage us. We are now convinced that we have something to contribute to our country and that is the only reason why the enemy will be fighting”.
Bad lucky in politics?
For sometimes now, Mr. Paye has been experiencing “bad luck” and misfortunes in his political career.
In recent times, he has not managed to strongly hold unto political party chairmanship without either being suspended or ousted from his position.
His critics blamed the situation on his sheer arrogance, professed undermining spirit, lukewarm attitude to working with and promoting young people, and lack of coordination and cooperation with his peers, among others.
On the other hand, supporters of Mr. Paye has pointed to his unwillingness to compromise his principles as one of the main reasons he did not stay a prolong period of time as Chairman and acting Chairman respectively of the UP and PLP.
It can be recalled tha Mr. Paye was removed as Chairman of the former governing Unity Party, for engaging into acts that contravene and brought the UP reputation to public disrepute at the time.
“The removal of Mr. Wilmot Paye as National Chairman came as a result of recommendations made by the Special Investigative Committee established by the NEC to investigate actions and decisions taken by Mr. Paye that contravened the party’s constitution and brought to question the reputation of the party both locally and internationally,” the party stated in a press release issued.
He was accused of sowing a seed of discord and division within the party, an attitude that prompted bad blood between from Liberian President and standard-bearer of the UP, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and her then-Vice President Joseph Nyemah Boakai.
Though Madam Sirleaf wanted Mr. Paye out of the UP as one of her requests to give support to the candidacy of Mr. Boakai during the 2017 general and presidential elections, Mr. Boakia stood his ground and Mr. Paye and several others remained in the party and launched multiple attacks on the character of Madam Sirleaf.
They further went as far as launching a revolution to expel Madam Sirleaf from the party for not being supportive of the presidential ambition of her long-standing friend-ex-VP Boakai.
Also in August 2021, he was again removed as acting Chairman along with few others from various leadership positions within the PLP for multiple reasons ranging from the alleged fraud, acts of undermining and poor performances and unilaterally violating the constitutional rights of other members of the party.
Mr. Paye was removed as acting National Chairman, while Henry Sackie and
Kansualism Kansuah were removed from the positions of acting Vice Chairman for Political Affairs and Secretary General respectively.
Former student leader Carlos Tingban Edison was suspended from his position as acting National Youth Chairman of the PLP.
Following their removal, Mr. Paye and the others challenged the decision taken by the GPC and filed an official complaint to the National Elections Commission (NEC).
But in a report dated August 30, 2021, issued under the signature of NEC Director of Political Affairs Ignatius B. Wisseh and addressed to PLP Acting Organizing Chairman, Mr. Tapple E. Doe, the commission pointed out that the positions previously held by Mr. Paye and the others had no legal backing because, the PLP has not held convention to elect its required officials.
The commission maintained that both parties at the conference were also referred to Chapter II, Section 2.9 of the Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates which states that: “once accredited, the leadership of the organizing committee of every newly accredited political party shall be required to take the party to convention not later than six months following the its accreditation to, among things adopt the party’s constitution and elect its corps of officers”.
Assuming that the PLP had met the requirement of holding its convention and adopting its by-laws, the statement pointed out that, the NEC could have referred the party to Chapter III, Section 3.3 “Handling of Disputes in Political Parties” of the Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates which provides that” a member must first file his/her complaint with the party”.
Though it remains unclear whether or not Mr. Paye will join or form another political party, he is on record for planning to run for the Liberian presidency.
He made the disclosure when he appeared on OK FM Morning Show shortly after he was ousted from the forming ruling UP.
