Liberty Party Expels Senator Karngar-Lawrence, Key Allies over Support to Unity Party

MONROVIA – It was just a matter of time for the inevitable to happen – the expulsion of Liberty Party Political Leader, Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence and her key allies from the party.

After chatters within the opposition realm, the Liberty Party finally expelled six of its members and revoked their memberships over “direct violations and resolutions taken during the party’s convention,” a statement signed by the party’s National Chairman Musa Hassan Bility revealed.

Those given the marching orders include the party’s political leader, Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence of Grand Bassa County, Senator Abraham Darius Dillon of Monsterado County, Lofa County Senator Steve Zargo, Jacob Smith, Prince Toles and Daniel Sando.

The LP, in a statement said the action was the result of the expelled individuals’ decision to either participate as Unity Party (UP) campaign officials or contest on the UP ticket in the upcoming Presidential and General Elections, which is in direct violation of decisions and resolutions taken at the LP Convention.

Addressing Senator Karngar-Lawrence, the LP, under the tutelage of Musa Bility Writes: “It has come to the attention of the Liberty Party (LP) National Executive Committee that you have been named to, and have accepted, the position of Campaign Chair for the Unity Party (UP) 2023 Presidential and General Elections Campaign Team. We respect that the freedom of association is a right guaranteed to all Liberians under our Constitution and we interpose no objection to your exercising that right,” the statement said.

“However, you will also respect that as an LP member and a Senator elected under the LP ticket, you are duty-bound to maintain the Party line and support Party policies agreed to by a majority of the party leadership. You are fully aware that the LP Convention, the highest decision-making body of the LP, has approved and authorized LP’s status as a member of the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) and has endorsed Mr. Alexander B. Cummings as the Standard Bearer of the CPP.”

The party added that the actions of the six individuals indicate that they are no longer aligning with the LP’s mission, vision, and objectives and that they have, instead, chosen to align with and support the UP’s mission, vision, and candidates in the ensuing elections, is a clear abdication of their duties as an LP Member.

It furthered: “In light of the above, please let this letter serve you people as formal notification that you have effectively immediately been expelled from the Liberty Party and your membership in the LP has been revoked.”

It then warned all of the expelled individuals that going forward, “any unauthorized use of the LP name will result in legal action against them’’, warning the public that “anyone or group joining in the unauthorized use of the LP name for any reason will be enjoined in any such legal action.’’

Split Gets Deeper

The LP has been engulfed in a spiteful internal wrangling that has split the party into two factions, one headed by Chairman Musa Hassan Bility, and the other, by Senator Nyonblee Karngar-Lawrence.

A back and forth lawsuit has done more harm in fracturing the party which was founded by one of Liberia’s greatest contemporary politicians, the late Cllr. Charles Walker Brumskine.

Under Brumskine’s watch, the LP did not suffer any major conflict of such magnitude.

Analysts blame the split to the power struggle between Bility, who was heavily backed by Senator Karngar-Lawrence and Dillon in attaining the Chairmanship of the LP, and Senator Karngar-Lawrence.

Sen. Karngar’s decision further deepened the crisis

A sign of unity appeared when Boakai dumped the LP political leader and chose Senator Jeremiah Kpan Koung of Nimba County as his running mate. Many within the party had hoped that the Bility’s faction and the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the remnants of the once formidable Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), would put their egos aside and reached out to the Grand Bassa Senator to serve as running mate to Cummings, and in turn made some concessions to allow her regain her full status as political leader of the LP.

They did, but their offer was rejected by Senator Karngar-Lawrence who said that she did not see any sincerity in Mr. Cummings’ request, throwing another dagger into an already deep wound.

To maintain the LP’s space on the CPP’s ticket, Cummings and Bility had no option but to ask the elder daughter of the late LP’s founding father, Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine to abandon her quest for a representative seat in Grand Bassa to go as Cumming’s running mate.

In return for her “selfless” decision, the Unity Party named Senator Karngar-Lawrence as its head of campaign, and she has vowed to lead the party into the trenches to deliver Grand Bassa and all of Liberia to Amb. Boakai and Senator Koung.

More Lawsuits Loading

Following Senator Karngar-Lawrence’s decision in endorsing Boakai and Koung presidential ticket in her capacity as Liberty Party’s political leader, Bility cried that the decision was in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling and the party’s constitution, and vowed to act.

With the latest development, analysts say the hope of a united LP seems impossible, at least for the immediate future.