By Olando Testimony Zeongar
MONROVIA – Amid a long-running leadership squabble plaguing the parent body of journalism in the country, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), veteran Liberian journalist John Kollie, has labeled the PUL as a threat to democracy.
As at in recent times, Kollie, on Monday, took to his official Facebook handle expressing dissatisfaction over how the issue of leadership at the PUL is being handled, inferring that the current leadership of the Union is proceeding wrongly.
Kollie, a longtime ace broadcaster, accused PUL President Charles Coffey, and his Secretary General Musa M.B. Kenneh, of still occupying their positions with the Union, while aspiring for public office in the country’s upcoming elections slated for later this year on 10 October.
The outstanding broadcast journalist is of the belief that by both Coffey and Kenneh seeking government jobs, while still clinging onto their roles at the PUL, is sad, for which he’s of the opinion that such a situation renders the journalists’ umbrella organization a threat to democracy.
Kollie, who fell short of elaborating on how Messrs. Coffey’s and Kenneh’s decision to contest elected posts renders the PUL a threat to democracy, wants both men to resign their posts at the PUL, to pursue their dreams of ascending government offices.
“Resign if you want a government job,” Kollie called on Coffey and Kenneh.
He reminded the pair that journalists are the mirror of society, cautioning that therefore, they cannot be involved with what conventional politicians do for power.
The Coffey administration has outlived its tenure but is still holding on to power after a convention to replace it was marred allegedly by electoral irregularities and fraud, which are being contested in a court of law.
Founded on 30th September 1964, the PUL which was established to defend press freedom and free speech has been embroiled in a lingering leadership squabble that seems far from being resolved any time soon.
It is recalled, Julius Kanubah, one of two candidates running for president of the PUL, rejected the outcome of the Union’s 5th elective Congress held in November 2022, in Gbarnga, Bong County, terming the conduct of the elections which outcome presented PULs’ current Vice President Daniel Nyakonah, president-elect; as being “bogus and utterly shameful.”
Following the PUL elections last year, Kanubah filed a petition before the Supreme Court of Liberia, praying the high court to undo and cancel the results of what he referred to as the unconstitutional elections held by the PUL in Bong County.
Kanubah, who at the onset of the electoral process raised qualms about the PUL election Voter Roll, among others, is contending that the journalists’ umbrella organization and all other parties to the case failed to address his concern even at the time, with a court injunction being in place, which he believes is a clear violation of his rights to a “free and fair election.”
Since then, there has been an impasse, with the court yet to rule in the case and the newly elected leadership being unable to commence official duties.
When Smart News Liberia contacted Coffey and Kenneh, both men, in separate interviews accused Kollie of taking sides in the ongoing leadership brouhaha within the PUL.
They alleged that Kollie has an interest in Team-Kanubah, maintaining that it’s due to such interest the Liberian broadcast journalist is being biased toward those he perceives as having an interest in the Nyakonah camp.
Coffey and Kenneh did not deny their ambition to contest elected posts during the 2023 elections, with the former indicating that it is not a crime to aspire for a government post, but that as of now, he’s not a candidate, and that only being an aspirant while holding on for leadership transition to take place at the PUL, is not against any law.
He stated that his tenure as president of the PUL has expired and he has no intention to hold on to power, but that he is still occupying the position because the Union’s elective congress that should have led to a new leadership taking over from his administration, is still being contested in court.
For his part, Kenneh, urged Kollie to reach out and ask questions whenever he has doubts about issues, disclosing that even before the conduct of the PUL elections, which results are being contested in court, he had long since made his intention known not to continue in the position of Secretary General of the Union because he’s nursing an ambition to run for Representative in Montserrado County electoral District #2.
“I am not at the PUL. I left after the election, and I am focused on my District – I’m telling you, officially, I am not with the PUL,” Kenneh told Smart News Liberia.
He disclosed that although he has not officially resigned as Secretary General of the Union, he’s at the moment inactive as far as his post at the PUL is concerned.
He divulged that the decision for his resignation from the PUL secretariat top job is pending the conclusion of the ongoing court process regarding the outcome of the PUL’s Gbarnga elections.
