Team Kanubah Applauds Judge Kontoe   for  Ground-Breaking Ruling

Team Kanubah–Sieh for the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Presidency believes that the Ruling of the Trial Court in Gbanga, Bong County in the Controversial 2022 PUL elections is a victory for integrity in the PUL as it sets a powerful legal precedent that will live for generations of journalists, media, and communication professionals.

After 18 months of legal battle, the Gbanga Court Ruling has declared the PUL 2022  Gbanga’s Election null and void and calls for re-election before the end of this year.

The Team believes that what  lies at the heart of the case is at the core foundation of the organization: ethics and integrity.

Given their official position on the  Gbanga Ruling, the  Presidential candidate of the Team, Mr. Julius Kanubah said, they are of the view that the Ruling sends an unequivocal message that electoral fraud in the PUL (through manipulations of membership registration) is an abomination and a repugnant act.

He emphasized that the  Ruling has demonstrated that no one entrusted with leadership roles in the PUL is above the law and that upholding the PUL Constitution is a sine qua non.

“Team Kanubah’s case has averted the single biggest fraud in the nearly 60-years history of the PUL. By averting this massive fraud through a meticulously pursued legal process for a period of one year, six months, we have worked to ensure that the integrous legacy of the Stanton Peabody Institution (PUL) is protected. Stanton, on whose image the PUL exists, is proud in his present place of  eternal rest   that as the Analyst Newspaper rightly reported on June 20, 2024, PUL Resurrection is … Underway.

“The ruling has prevented the hijacking of power through acts of fraud, which were supported by some nefarious actors both inside and outside the media. One of those sponsors of fraud in the PUL is a known internationally sanctioned pariah.

“Significantly, the ruling mandates the constitution of an eleven-member committee comprising seven former Presidents of the PUL and four Media Elders to take charge of the Union and conduct a rerun of the PUL 2022 Elections,” Mr. Kanubah explained.

Team Kanubah supports and calls for the scrupulous implementation of the ruling of the Trial Court so that a democratically legitimate leadership is elected and installed at the PUL on or before October 18, this year.

The Team applauds the Judge of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, His Honour J. Boima Kontoe, for the ground-breaking ruling.

The Judge’s ruling builds on the Ruling of the Supreme Court of Liberia of December 19, 2023. In that ruling, the Supreme Court mandated the Judge to resume jurisdiction and proceed in keeping with law after reversing a controversial mandate by their peer, Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe (Peace to His ashes).

The ruling,  they believe, presents a turning point to usher the Union into a new era of reform and democratic accountability. This new era of reform and democratic accountability definitely creates a path to regain the lost image of the PUL which has been tainted by the 2022 fraudulent electoral process. Team Kanubah remains committed to steering this era of reform and democratic accountability

Team Kanubah is deliberate about its mission to lead a Press Union that develops strategies for short–medium–and–long lasting stability of journalism in the age of falling media revenue. We believe our plans are best suited to improve the quality of journalism to keep our democracy flourishing.

The Team  has assured  Redeeming, Reforming , and Developing  the PUL into a 21st Century professional integrity entity, guided by six pillars of transformative change:

#  Accountable Leadership;

#      Impartial Advocacy;

#      Construction of PUL Headquarters;

#      Support for Women in Journalism, Media and Communication;

#      Sustainable and Inclusive Media Development; and

#      Formation of Media Hubs in our Counties.

Team Kanubah extends their  sincere thanks and appreciation to all Members of the Press Union of Liberia, members of the journalism, media and communication community, the Government of Liberia, their local and international partners, and the public at large for their support and interest in the Union.

The Team committed to promoting and defending the rights of journalists, free speech and expression, and to the strengthening of greater democracy, the rule of law, and economic development in Liberia.