Former Labor Minister and human rights lawyer has issued a strongly worded statement in which he calls on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to honorably resign and allow Vice President Joseph Boakai runs the affairs of the state until elections in 2017.
Cllr. Taiwon Gongloe said if President Sirleaf does not do so, then the House of Representatives, in the supreme interest of the people should impeach her.
However, the Liberian government has rejected the lawyer’s call and said if he believes that the President has violated the constitution he should take recourse to the constitutional court.
Deputy Minister for Public Affairs at the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICAT) Isaac Jackson said Cllr. Gongloe’s argument about nepotism is redundant and political and is not supported by law; therefore, nobody should give his argument credence.
He said Cllr. Gongloe’s argument against nepotism justifies similar argument by some Liberians when they are in government, there’s no nepotism; but when they leave government they begin to argue about nepotism baselessly.
“When did Cllr. Gongloe know that there was nepotism in this government? He was Minister when the President’s sons were in government…his argument is based on flimsy political argument and has no evidence in law,” Minister Jackson asserted.
Citing Article 18 of the Liberian constitution and the United States Foreign Affairs Manuel Volume 3, the Deputy Minister argued that there’s absolute no nepotism when merit is the yard stick to bring people to government.
Minister Jackson said while government respects Cllr. Gongloe as an esteemed lawyer, however, he believes that the lawyer should take flight to the Supreme Court.
Last week, Gongloe said the President violated Article 5 (C) of the 1986 and the oath of office by appointing her sons and other family members in government.
“President Sirleaf cannot place herself above the Constitution of Liberia. She is not at liberty to place her family interest above the interest of Liberia,” Gongloe, a long time political activist and constitutional lawyer emphasized in a speech he delivered at the 42nd anniversary of the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) on the main campus of the University of Liberia.