By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
Maryland County Senator H. Dan Morais has rubbished the Code of Conduct describing it as “irrelevant” to the 2017 Representatives and Presidential elections. He has on the government to suspend the entire law until the electoral period comes to an end.
Speaking to reporters at the Capitol Building, Thursday afternoon, July 27th, in Monrovia, Senator Morais said that the opinion of the Supreme Court of Liberia shows that the Code of Conduct has lost its relevance to the electoral process and the best option is to suspend the law.
The Supreme Court on July 15 declared that the National Elections Commission was in error in its action rejecting the nomination of two vice presidential candidates, Harrison Karnwea of the Liberty Party and Ambassador Jeremiah Sulunteh of the Alternative National Congress, from contesting the October presidential and legislative elections.
The court said both Kanwea and Sulunteh were in substantial compliance with the Code of Conduct Act, contrary to the NEC’s contention that both men were in violation.
But Morais contends that the opinion of the high court shows that product of the Liberian Legislature, meaning the Code of Conduct, is “useless” and that he would like to get clarification on the Code of Conduct.
Sen. Morais, who is the Chairman on Foreign Relations at the Liberian Senate, explained that the Code of Conduct was passed into law by the National Legislature and signed by the President of LIberia for the purpose of preventing unprepared people from participating in the electoral process, as well as anyone who did not reach eligibility to contest, but the ruling of the Supreme Court has made the Code of Conduct meaningless.
The Maryland County lawmaker, who won on the ticket of the National Patriotic party, rughter indicated that he has prepared a communication to the plenary of the Liberian Senate to ensure that the law is suspended.
He noted that the opinion of the High Court indicates that the Code of Conduct is not applicable in these elections and those that were earlier rejected by the National Elections Commission should take advantage of the process.
Meanwhile, Morais said that he will take the National Elections Commission to the Supreme Court if additional names are added to the provisional listing of the candidates’ nomination.
He pointed out that the NEC should now work the provisional listing and not increases the names of candidates who reportedly resigned over night with the intent to contest.
According to him, the listing will be challenged before the Supreme Court on grounds that Liberia is a country of law and not of men. “Former President Charles Taylor was chased out of here because they claimed he did not follow the laws of the land,” he noted.
