The name Wilmot Paye became a household name during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidency.
Paye served as Secretary of the Ellen’s Unity Party in 2011 and was part of the team that landed Madam Sirleaf her 2nd term defeating Cllr. Winston Tubman and George Weah CDC along the way.
Despite been a member of the ruling Party, Paye was a consistent critics of President Sirleaf and her administration accusing her of rampant corruption and nepotism.
Ahead of the 2014 midterm Senatorial elections, Paye drew the political line between Robert Sirleaf son of President Sirleaf and the ruling Unity Party when it was rumored that the Party would support Mr. Sirleaf after its candidate Alieu Selly left the country ahead of the elections. Paye at press conference described Robert Sirleaf as “a creeping monster and a virus” who needed to be stopped now.
“Robert Sirleaf has shown an anti-Unity Party posture, as was evident in his recent pronouncements, and as such, he will not be supported by the Unity Party in the upcoming senatorial election, because he lacks the credibility to get the party’s support,” Paye noted.
The Unity Party candidate did not return to campaign for his election on grounds that he was sick, and it was unconfirmed that he was instructed by Mr. Sirleaf to leave so he could get support of the Party. Mr. Sirleaf eventually lost to Congress for Democratic Change candidate George Weah now President of Liberia.
Despite Madam Sirleaf reported to have been unhappy with Paye, and wanted him out, Paye made his way to the Chairmanship position of the Unity Party at convention that saw the election of former Vice President Joseph Boakai as Standard Bearer and Lean Eugene Nagbe as Secretary General among others in Gbarnga Bong County. Paye was one of VP Boakai close allies during his failed bid for Liberia’s Presidency.
Paye and Cllr. Varney Sherman Senator of Grand Cape Mount County regularly stated that without Madam Sirleaf, UP would be re-elected and continue their attack on her, something political pundits think led to President Sirleaf not supporting her VP during the 2017 elections.
PAYE UP TROUBLE
The 2017 elections was gone, Madam Sirleaf and others who were expelled from the party for failing to support the party in the 2017 elections returned. Her return spark debate as to whether she and Paye would go along.
Those who had concerns over whether the two would work together got their answers this year. Mr. Paye, was removed as chairman of the Unity Party as a result of recommendations made by the Special Investigative Committee established by the NEC to investigate actions and decisions taken by Mr. Paye that contravened the party’s constitution and brought to question the reputation of the party both locally and internationally.
The former UP Chairman was reported to have unilaterally issued a special statement on Sunday, January 5 2020, calling on Unity Party members, supporters, sympathizers and citizens of Liberia not to venture in the streets to participate in the protest that was rescheduled on Monday, January 6, 2020.
Chairman Paye Wrote; “it will be hypocritical of the party, having previously detested, resisted and opposed calls from the CDC and its allies for President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to step-down while, at this time of the regime of the CDC, condoning and support the call for President George Weah to step down”.
The statement was the last release he ever issued on behalf of the Unity Party. There were reports in the public that Madam Sirleaf was behind the removal of Paye. She was reported to have demanded the removal of Paye if she was to make any meaningful contribution to the Party.
The People’s Liberation Party
On December 21, 2020, the National Elections Commission (NEC) officially accredited and subsequently certificated the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) as a new full-fledged political party in Liberia.
Paye begin the Party’s chairman and at the opening of the Party’s headquarters in Congo Town said, for too long politics has been misrepresented in Liberia and portrayed as a vehicle to promote selfish ambitions of corrupt individuals whose only motivation for entering politics is to exploit their own nation.
“But The PLP he indicated believes that Liberia cannot continue like this, especially in this 21st Century, this must change! I am not talking about a mere change of personnel. The same traditional politicians that plunged Liberia into the mess it is in cannot lead any true transformation. Liberia needs a totally different class of politicians. We cannot afford to disappoint them” Paye said.
How all of that went wrong
Mr. Paye had thought that the he finally found a new political home to rebrand his political life, but that smile did not last long.
On August 17, 2021The General Policy Commission (GPC) of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) announced the immediate removal of three of its acting executives, including Acting Chairman Wilmot Paye for their alleged involvement in acts that the party says contravene its norms, bylaws, and constitution.
Reading a statement on behalf of the GPC, Assistant Secretary-General for Press and Public Affairs Stephen Vorkpor said Mr. Paye was removed following thorough investigations into a countless number of complaints brought against him by some members of the GPC and other local county officials of the party, and for grossly violating the constitutional rights of several members of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) serving in leadership positions across several counties.
He says findings of the GPC’s investigation into those complaints filed against Mr. Paye includes poor handling of a previous conflict between the Acting Montserrado County Youth Assembly Chairman-Trokon George and the Montserrado County Chairman-Rueben Washington, without proper investigation and recommendation to the GPC for action.
He continues that Mr. Paye singlehandedly proceeded and discriminatorily recalled the inducted Acting Montserrado County Youth Assembly Chairman Mr. George and replaced him with a member outside of the Montserrado County Youth Assembly leadership structure, who is a district coordinator that holds a key position in the current government.
“It was also established and confirmed that Mr. Paye directly instructed and authorized the Acting Montserrado County Chairman Washington to replace the entire leadership structure of the Montserrado County Youth Assembly with unknown members who have not been vetted and approved by the GPC”, the PLP Assistant Secretary-General for Press and Public Affairs noted.
According to him, the General Policy Commission (GPC) found those multiple defaming, undermining, and derogatory comments made against the Political Leader of the party Dr. Daniel Cassell as not only divisive, undermining, and condescending, but also grossly disrespectful and contrary to the core values of the People’s Liberation Party.
Following their removal, Mr. Paye and the others challenged the decision taken by the GPC and filed an official complaint to the National Elections Commission (NEC).
But in a report dated August 30, 2021, issued under the signature of NEC Director of Political Affairs Ignatius B. Wisseh and addressed to PLP Acting Organizing Chairman, Mr. Tapple E. Doe, the commission pointed out that the positions previously held by Mr. Paye and the others had no legal backing because, the PLP has not held convention to elect its required officials.
The commission maintained that both parties at the conference were also referred to Chapter II, Section 2.9 of the Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates which states that: “once accredited, the leadership of the organizing committee of every newly accredited political party shall be required to take the party to convention not later than six months following the its accreditation to, among things adopt the party’s constitution and elect its corps of officers”.
Assuming that the PLP had met the requirement of holding its convention and adopting its by-laws, the statement pointed out that, the NEC could have referred the party to Chapter III, Section 3.3 “Handling of Disputes in Political Parties” of the Regulations and Guidelines Relating to Political Parties and Independent Candidates which provides that” a member must first file his/her complaint with the party”.
After removing him and others on the above listed counts, the Party on Monday, September 20, 2021 move to expelled Paye and others.
In a letter dated September 20, 2021 and addressed to Mr. Paye, the GPC stated that since his removal as acting Chairman of the PLP, Mr. Paye continues to misrepresent himself in the public as Chairman of the party.
The communication was signed by the Acting National Organizing Chairman of the PLP, Mr. Tapple E. Doe. It maintained that Mr. Paye and the others have been engaged into fabricating stories, which have no iota of truth to besmear the image and bring to public ridicule the PLP.
The General Policy Committee added that Mr. Paye continues to demonstrate gross violation of the Party’s norms, and as such, his membership with the party has been terminated.
Expulsion unfortunate
But just a day after his expulsion, Paye told Local Radio in Monrovia Tuesday, September 21, 2021 had already informed the National Elections Commission of parting company with the party before his expulsion was announced by the Party.
Paye noted that on Friday September 17, 2021, he submitted a letter withdrawing his name, email, contacts and everything and informing the Elections Commission that he was no longer associated with the PLP copy of which was sent to Tapple E. Doe the Party founding Chairman.
Paye wonders while the People’s Liberation Party failed to tell the public about his resignation from the party after being copied to the communication he sent to NEC.
Mr. Paye said he is not surprise about the decision taken by the party because, noting that “time can expose people”.
Paye disclosed that when advances were made towards him by the PLP Vision Bearer to join them, he openly stated that he [Paye] was too difficult to work with because; he was not ready to negotiate his principles”.
He termed as “appropriate but ill-fated” the decision taken by the PLP to expel him from the party after he has resigned.
Paye or the political Parties who got the problem
When Paye went to new boy Daniel Cassel People’s Liberation Party, many saw though that one of the firebrand intellectuals in recent Liberia Politics will not be leaving the stage soon and as found a home to recalibrate his political life after his departure from the former runling Unity Party, but such belief is was completely short lived and many are now asking what is the problem.
Paye command lot of respect among Liberians who follows the country daily political activities specially given his stands issues. Paye never hold back his feelings and thought on issues.
His supporters points to his unwillingness to compromise his principles as one of the main reasons he did not stay a prolong period of time as Chairman and acting Chairman respectively of the UP and PLP.
Mr. Paye critics blamed the situation on his sheer arrogance, professed undermining spirit, ‘lukewarm’ attitude to working with and promoting young people, and lack of coordination and cooperation with his peers, among others.
They think Paye often hold on to things when it is necessary to let it go for the common good of his political life and the institution.
He reportedly rejected an assistant Minister position from Madam Sirleaf arguing that as Secretary General then of the Party, he was entitled to a Minister position which was not offer by President Sirleaf.
Many in the Unity Party and political observers thinks that Madam Sirleaf failure to offer Paye the position of his choice, anger Mr. Paye and he has since remain bitter with Madam Sirleaf.
Some pundit who spoke to Liberia Public Radio thinks that being principal minded is good, but were quick the state that in Politics, it is often good to let somethings sly away.
So what next Paye
Every politician going through such a difficult times like this in Politics who like to go quiet for a while.
But despite been hate with two removal and one expulsion in less than a year Chairman Paye seems not to be departing the political stage soon.
The former Unity Party and PLP Chairman has promised to remain in politics despite the horrified events and incidences that continue to depict his political life of recent.
Paye told the Tuesday September 22, 2021 edition of the Spoon Talk that he will be an active player in Liberia body politics especially in 2023 until he is call by God but what will never comprised his principal.
Paye mentioned that that he is not in politics to get money, but as a Liberian with the fundamental right to do so, he is in politics to help transformed the country and will collaborate with people who wants the country move forward.
“I am Wilmot Paye yesterday, and Paye today, so I will be tomorrow I will join people who share my values and principles and wants Liberia transform, I will not let those values and standards leave me” Paye mentioned.
Whatever the case Paye will have to take some time off an reflect on his political activities of recent, but as it stands the recent expulsion as increase his critics argument against his style of politicking and style of leadership.
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