Seven Counts why ULAA Election IS a Mockery of Democracy

In Letter to Amos Koukou, Massaley Provides

Seven Counts why ULAA Election IS a Mockery of Democracy

Abraham G. Massaley
Philadelphia, PA

September 14, 2008

Mr. Amos Koukou
Chairman, National Elections Commission
Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA)
203 W Plumstead Ave, Lansdowne, PA, 19050

Dear Chairman Koukou:

I am writing to bring to your attention additional violations in the conduct of the 2008 general elections of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) and to formally complain to you about violations of key provisions of the ULAA Constitution and the union’s National Elections Law. My submission of this letter is consistent with Article IV Section 17 of the 2004 ULAA Elections Law and Articles 42, 60, 2, 5, 9, 11, 48 ( c ) and 59 of the ULAA Constitution and Article II of the ULAA Articles of incorporation as well as generally accepted principles that are consistent with the holding of free, fair, transparent and credible elections. This letter of complaint is also consistent with the Board resolution arising from the May 3, 2008 meeting which convened in Detroit, Michigan and your recent declaration that the ULAA Constitution and the 2004 ULAA Election Law will be the guiding principles for this election. This complaint is also consistent with your published election timetable released on June 19, 2008.

The violations are as follow:

Violation 1: No Election guidelines and Timetables published by chapters for primaries

Article IV Section 9 of the 2004 ULAA Elections Law says “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish a special election guideline and election timetable in its chapter for the holding of chapter primaries at least two months prior to the holding of the primary. The guidelines shall establish registration requirements for candidates ( individuals vying to be chapter delegates), how election will be conducted, when polls will be opened and closed, how to file and dispose of protest(s) and the grounds for disqualifying candidates and or nullifying an election result. Each local (chapter) commission shall make reasonable efforts to distribute the election guidelines to chapter members and shall also make reasonable efforts to duly inform chapter members about the chapter primary. In keeping with your published election timetable, all ULAA chapters are in violation of this provision because none has published election guidelines and timetables that would govern the conduct of primaries in their chapters. This is a cardinal violation of the ULAA National election law. On July 21, 2008, we alerted you to this violation in a public statement. However, you chose to ignore us and you have done nothing to correct this violation. I am not even sure whether there are functional elections commissions in all ULAA chapters that should be organizing these primaries, as required by the ULAA Election Law.


Violation II: No publication of list of candidates vying to be elected in chapter primaries
Article IV Section 10 of the ULAA Elections Law says that “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish the list of qualified candidates (individuals vying to be delegates) at least one month prior to the holding of the chapter primary. All candidates must be registered members of their chapter, 18 years or older and must be legal residents of their respective chapters and of the United States ”. The list of candidates vying in chapter primaries were to be published by latest August 20, 2007 for the September 20, 2008 primaries and August 27, 2008 for the September 27, 2008 primaries. However, no chapter Election Commission including my home chapter of Pennsylvania has registered and or qualified candidate(s) to contest in these chapter primaries as delegates. This is a clear violation of the ULAA Election Law. Without the list of qualified candidates published in these chapters as required by the Elections Law, it baffles me to know who will be elected as delegates in these primaries. Sadly, no Election Commission in any of these ULAA chapters including my home chapter of Pennsylvania has carried out registration exercise for candidates vying to be delegates, in these chapter primaries. But according to you, Pennsylvania should hold its primary in six days from today. The election law clearly requires an open electoral process especially for these chapter primaries so that all Liberians in ULAA chapters can have equal opportunity to participate in this ULAA election. Lamentably, there is little or no information from you or from the local Elections Commissions about this ULAA Election.

Violation III: No preliminary Voter’s roll published by ULAA Chapters for chapter primaries

Article IV Section 11 of the ULAA Elections Law says “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish a preliminary voter’s list of all chapter members who shall vote in the chapter primary at least two weeks prior to that primary. The local commission shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that all corrections are made to the list of eligible voters before the final publication. Once the final list is published, the local commission shall not make any alteration, modification, correction or changes to the chapter final voter’s roll”. To date, there is no information from any local chapter Election Commission about voters drive in all ULAA chapters for the holding of chapter primaries. The preliminary voters’ lists for primaries on September 20, 2008 were to be published on September 6, 2008 and the preliminary voters’ list for primaries on September 27, 2008 were to be published on September 13, 2008 . However, no preliminary voters’ list was published in any ULAA chapter. This is a clear violation of the ULAA National Elections Law.

Violation IV: No publication of Voter’s Roll by Chapters for conducting Primaries

Article IV Section 12 of the ULAA Election Law says “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish its final voter’s roll at least one week prior to the chapter primary. A copy of the final voter’s roll shall be electronically sent to the ULAA Elections Commission on the same day of publication of that voter’s roll. The local commission shall also within 24 hours after said publication mail for overnight delivery a hard copy of the final voter’s roll to the commission. All ULAA chapters including my home chapter of Pennsylvania which you have scheduled to conduct primaries on September 20, 2008 are in clear violation of this provision of the election law. None has published preliminary and final voters roll which are major requirements of the election law. Personally, I cannot comprehend how a chapter will conduct free, fair and transparent election (chapter primary), without the publication of a Final Voter’s roll. This provision is too sacrosanct to the holding of a democratic election.

Violation V: Participation of Illegal and unqualified voters in Chapter Primaries

Article IV Section 6 of the 2004 ULAA Elections Law says that “a special fee shall be levied by the Union’s Board for every member of a chapter who shall be qualified to vote in the chapter’s primary. The commission shall from time to time propose such fee to the Board. Each chapter shall be responsible to generate and or collect the special fee from its members and submit same to the commission prior to the commencement of voting during a chapter primary. All such payments by the chapter shall be in the form of money order or certified check payable to the Union”. To date, the Board of Directors of the union has not established this special fee as it is required by the ULAA Elections Law, apparently because of the current election conflict. In the absence of lawfully resolving this vital issue of fees, you are determined to go ahead. Sir, let me remind you that Article 60 of the ULAA Constitution says the National Elections Law of the Union shall “set qualifications and other eligibility requirements for participation of member organizations in union elections, for the right to vote by members of the union-member organizations, and for candidates vying for Union offices at the national and regional levels.” Therefore, any individual casting votes in any chapter primary without payment of the ULAA Board prescribed special fee, will be doing so illegally because such individuals would not have met the qualifications and eligibility requirements set in the election law, to vote in chapter primaries. You will also be defrauding this union of thousands of dollars which could have been legally collected from qualified voters.


Violation VI: Disobeying the Order of the ULAA Electoral panel
Article II Section 9 says that “There shall be a five-member Electoral Panel, which shall hear and dispose of all electoral complaints and appeal. The panel shall have final jurisdiction in respect of all electoral disputes and complaints. No decision or order of the panel shall be subject to appeal or review”. Article 60 of the ULAA Constitution also says that “Procedures for conducting, supervising and monitoring elections and hearing and disposing of election related complaints shall be established as part of the National Elections Law of the Union”. The panel has issued a directive to you, nullifying all your actions and decisions and has ordered you to conduct this election consistently with the National Elections Law of the Union and the ULAA constitution. Lamentably, you have chosen to blatantly disregard the order of the panel, and you continue to proceed with this election without any regard to the ULAA Constitution and the union’s elections law.

Violation VII: Conducting Official Business without a Full Commission and the Required Quorum

Article 61 of the ULAA Constitution and Article II Section 1of the ULAA National Elections Law says “The National Elections commission shall be comprised of 13 members, representative of or with interest in the 13 political subdivisions of the Republic of Liberia. Commission members and officers shall be appointed to a three year term by the president, with the advice of the National Leadership Council and the approval of the board. The commission shall have a chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary.” Article II Section4 of the 2004 Election Law says “Quorum for all meetings of the commission shall be a two third majority of members present but decisions of the commission shall be reached by simple majority. Members shall receive prior notice to attend meetings. In case of emergency or when it becomes difficult for the commission to meet in order to reach a decision, the chairman or person in charge may seek the opinions and votes of members through telephone, fax, email and other means in deciding a particular matter.” Notwithstanding these provisions and directive from the Electoral Panel, you continue to preside over meetings of an incomplete commission comprising of six members who do not even make up a simple majority of the constitutionally required 13-member commission. You do not have the required simple majority of seven confirmed commissioners to take electoral decisions. Moreover, you have appointed your own Vice Chairman and Secretary of the Commission in violation of the ULAA Constitution and the ULAA Elections Law.

Mr. Chairman, there are plenty of options provided under the 2004 ULAA Elections Law to ensure the holding of free, fair, transparent and credible elections in this Union. There is a provision under Article III Section 3 of this law that enables you to recommend to the ULAA Board to postpone the election in order to guarantee the conduct of free, fair, transparent and credible elections in the union. The Election law requires you to certify results of these chapter primaries in order to attest that they are held consistently with the ULAA Constitution and the

ULAA Elections Law. Article IV Section 15 says that “The Union Election Commission shall have the right to nullify and declare void the election result of a voting delegate(s) or a proxy delegate(s) if the commission determines that said election was not held consistent with provisions of the Union’s Elections Law that relate to the holding of chapter primaries and or the guidelines published by that chapter’s Election Commission for that primary. “ Unfortunately, there are no guidelines published by any ULAA Chapter for these primaries. The violations cited above are so overwhelming to indicate that the 2004 ULAA Elections Law has been completely cast aside for the holding of these chapter primaries, and this is enough reason for their postponement. Frankly, under no circumstance I can contemplate that you or any of your representatives will affix your signatures and attest that those primaries are held consistently with the 2004 ULAA Elections Law considering the volumes of violations I have provided above.

Mr. Chairman, this letter of Complaint may do little or nothing for you to reverse the unparalleled and unprecedented course you have taken in the conduct of the 2008 ULAA General Elections. My assertion is based on the fact that you have repeatedly ignored all complaints that you and five other commissioners are proceeding to conduct this election inconsistently with the ULAA Constitution and the ULAA National Elections Law. It is truly unfortunate that a ULAA election is being organized under your Chairmanship that is flooded with grave violations of the Union’s Constitution and the ULAA Elections Law, and which contravenes nearly all democratic principles and values that govern the holding of free, fair, transparent and credible elections including the conduct of voter’s education, voter’s registration for chapter primaries, publication of Final voter’s list by chapters and your blatant disregard for the decision of the Electoral Panel. The panel serves as Election Judges in the union which you are accountable to. But you have refused to abide by their rulings. Notwithstanding, it is important to document this complaint to you, to serve as a future reference, even if you choose again to ignore it.

It may interest you to note that I served as former Chairman of the National Elections Commission of this Union, and I drafted the current election law. Those key provisions highlighted above regarding the violations especially under Article IV constitute the core differences between the 2002 election law, which was also drafted by me and the revised law of 2004. To set aside these key provisions in the conduct of this election means that you have willfully, deliberately and intentionally refused to implement the 2004 election which is the current election law in this Union. This law was re-affirmed by the ULAA Board in Detroit, Michigan on May 3, 2008 in your presence, to be implemented in this election. The Chairman of the ULAA Board of Directors, Mr. James Larsah has sent you official communications, advising you to honor the decision of the Electoral panel, in order to ensure that the 2004 ULAA Election Law is followed in this Election. However, you have chosen not to heed. At this juncture, it seems likely that you will do what you want to do. Nonetheless, it is also important to file this written complaint citing these violations and actions in order to hold you accountable, as Chairman of the ULAA Elections Commission. This complaint will also serve as easy future reference.


Sincerely,


Abraham G. massaley
Member, Liberian Association of PA and ULAA Presidential Candidate


cc: Mr. Emmanuel S. Weettee, National President, ULAA
Mr. James N. Larsah, National Chairman, ULAA Board of Directors
Mrs. Roberta Rashid, Chair, ULAA Electoral Panel
Mr. Billy Curtis, Doyen, ULAA Leadership Council
Mrs. Mydea Reeves Karpeh, Chair, ULAA Eminent Council
Presidents of ULAA Chapters
Liberian Ambassador accredited to the United States
Liberian Consul Generals in the United States
Presidents of Liberian County, Regional and Ethnic Associations in the United States
Conference of Liberian Organizations in Southwestern United States (COLOSUS)

chay....this thing is funny to me

Geyla Queen wrote:

chay....this thing is funny to me

candygirl wrote:

In Letter to Amos Koukou, Massaley Provides

Seven Counts why ULAA Election IS a Mockery of Democracy

Abraham G. Massaley
Philadelphia, PA

September 14, 2008

Mr. Amos Koukou
Chairman, National Elections Commission
Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA)
203 W Plumstead Ave, Lansdowne, PA, 19050

Dear Chairman Koukou:

I am writing to bring to your attention additional violations in the conduct of the 2008 general elections of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA) and to formally complain to you about violations of key provisions of the ULAA Constitution and the union’s National Elections Law. My submission of this letter is consistent with Article IV Section 17 of the 2004 ULAA Elections Law and Articles 42, 60, 2, 5, 9, 11, 48 ( c ) and 59 of the ULAA Constitution and Article II of the ULAA Articles of incorporation as well as generally accepted principles that are consistent with the holding of free, fair, transparent and credible elections. This letter of complaint is also consistent with the Board resolution arising from the May 3, 2008 meeting which convened in Detroit, Michigan and your recent declaration that the ULAA Constitution and the 2004 ULAA Election Law will be the guiding principles for this election. This complaint is also consistent with your published election timetable released on June 19, 2008.

The violations are as follow:

Violation 1: No Election guidelines and Timetables published by chapters for primaries

Article IV Section 9 of the 2004 ULAA Elections Law says “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish a special election guideline and election timetable in its chapter for the holding of chapter primaries at least two months prior to the holding of the primary. The guidelines shall establish registration requirements for candidates ( individuals vying to be chapter delegates), how election will be conducted, when polls will be opened and closed, how to file and dispose of protest(s) and the grounds for disqualifying candidates and or nullifying an election result. Each local (chapter) commission shall make reasonable efforts to distribute the election guidelines to chapter members and shall also make reasonable efforts to duly inform chapter members about the chapter primary. In keeping with your published election timetable, all ULAA chapters are in violation of this provision because none has published election guidelines and timetables that would govern the conduct of primaries in their chapters. This is a cardinal violation of the ULAA National election law. On July 21, 2008, we alerted you to this violation in a public statement. However, you chose to ignore us and you have done nothing to correct this violation. I am not even sure whether there are functional elections commissions in all ULAA chapters that should be organizing these primaries, as required by the ULAA Election Law.


Violation II: No publication of list of candidates vying to be elected in chapter primaries
Article IV Section 10 of the ULAA Elections Law says that “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish the list of qualified candidates (individuals vying to be delegates) at least one month prior to the holding of the chapter primary. All candidates must be registered members of their chapter, 18 years or older and must be legal residents of their respective chapters and of the United States ”. The list of candidates vying in chapter primaries were to be published by latest August 20, 2007 for the September 20, 2008 primaries and August 27, 2008 for the September 27, 2008 primaries. However, no chapter Election Commission including my home chapter of Pennsylvania has registered and or qualified candidate(s) to contest in these chapter primaries as delegates. This is a clear violation of the ULAA Election Law. Without the list of qualified candidates published in these chapters as required by the Elections Law, it baffles me to know who will be elected as delegates in these primaries. Sadly, no Election Commission in any of these ULAA chapters including my home chapter of Pennsylvania has carried out registration exercise for candidates vying to be delegates, in these chapter primaries. But according to you, Pennsylvania should hold its primary in six days from today. The election law clearly requires an open electoral process especially for these chapter primaries so that all Liberians in ULAA chapters can have equal opportunity to participate in this ULAA election. Lamentably, there is little or no information from you or from the local Elections Commissions about this ULAA Election.

Violation III: No preliminary Voter’s roll published by ULAA Chapters for chapter primaries

Article IV Section 11 of the ULAA Elections Law says “Each local (chapter) commission shall publish a preliminary voter’s list of all chapter members who shall vote in the chapter primary at least two weeks prior to that primary. The local commission shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that all corrections are made to the list of eligible voters before the final publication. Once the final list is published, the local commission shall not make any alteration, modification, correction or changes to the chapter final voter’s roll”. To date, there is no information from any local chapter Election Commission about voters drive in all ULAA chapters for the holding of chapter primaries. The preliminary voters’ lists for primaries on September 20, 2008 were to be published on September 6, 2008 and the preliminary voters’ list for primaries on September 27, 2008 were to be published on September 13, 2008 . However, no preliminary voters’ list was published in any ULAA chapter. This is a clear violation of the ULAA National Elections Law.

yor feeling political today or what..what kinna long stroy here so..yor hello!!

hello oh
no oh, that junk came in my box, and i wanted to make GQ vex and to tease bellah

bruno wrote:

candygirl wrote:

In Letter to Amos Koukou, Massaley Provides

Seven Counts why ULAA Election IS a Mockery of Democracy

Abraham G. Massaley
Philadelphia, PA

September 14, 2008

Mr. Amos Koukou
Chairman, National Elections Commission
Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA)
203 W Plumstead Ave, Lansdowne, PA, 19050

yor feeling political today or what..what kinna long stroy here so..yor hello!!

I telling you.....Morning

Geyla Queen wrote:

bruno wrote:

candygirl wrote:

In Letter to Amos Koukou, Massaley Provides

Seven Counts why ULAA Election IS a Mockery of Democracy

Abraham G. Massaley
Philadelphia, PA

September 14, 2008

Mr. Amos Koukou
Chairman, National Elections Commission
Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA)
203 W Plumstead Ave, Lansdowne, PA, 19050

yor feeling political today or what..what kinna long stroy here so..yor hello!!

I telling you.....Morning

good morning..you dont sound like sumone who coming to get vex soon this morning

candygirl wrote:

hello oh
no oh, that junk came in my box, and i wanted to make GQ vex and to tease bellah

Candy and Bruno...I tired na .....dey man say, he going to PA for their covention or meeting or whatever to go vote.....what wan dis

but it's really funny because he's so passionate about this ULAA org...We can be in a room and everybody will be ULAA bashing inculding me : and he will still stand his ground... yor should hear him taking about it.....I can just roll my eyes and suck my teeth ...but da my baby na.....no law states we have to like or agree on the same things.

candygirl wrote:

hello oh
no oh, that junk came in my box, and i wanted to make GQ vex and to tease bellah

Mehn Massallay will have to take his concern to Pittsburg when we meet between 10/3-10/5/08. The Assembly is the highest decision making body of ULAA. All issues will be resolve by the August body. Long live ULAA and the Liberian People.......................Beautiful picture CG...

bellah wrote:

candygirl wrote:

hello oh
no oh, that junk came in my box, and i wanted to make GQ vex and to tease bellah

Mehn Massallay will have to take his concern to Pittsburg when we meet between 10/3-10/5/08. The Assembly is the highest decision making body of ULAA. All issues will be resolve by the August body. Long live ULAA and the Liberian People.......................Beautiful picture CG...

honorable Progressive ......................................hadu.

candygirl wrote:

bellah wrote:

candygirl wrote:

hello oh
no oh, that junk came in my box, and i wanted to make GQ vex and to tease bellah

Mehn Massallay will have to take his concern to Pittsburg when we meet between 10/3-10/5/08. The Assembly is the highest decision making body of ULAA. All issues will be resolve by the August body. Long live ULAA and the Liberian People.......................Beautiful picture CG...

honorable Progressive ......................................hadu.

Candy, If I hear that one more time, I sware I will yell

Geyla Queen wrote:

candygirl wrote:

bellah wrote:

candygirl wrote:

hello oh
no oh, that junk came in my box, and i wanted to make GQ vex and to tease bellah

Mehn Massallay will have to take his concern to Pittsburg when we meet between 10/3-10/5/08. The Assembly is the highest decision making body of ULAA. All issues will be resolve by the August body. Long live ULAA and the Liberian People.......................Beautiful picture CG...

honorable Progressive ......................................hadu.

Candy, If I hear that one more time, I sware I will yell

but then come yell oh.. cuz the Right Honorable progressive is in Da House

candygirl wrote:

but then come yell oh.. cuz the Right Honorable progressive is in Da House

Look, stop encouraging this

Geyla Queen wrote:

candygirl wrote:

but then come yell oh.. cuz the Right Honorable progressive is in Da House

Look, stop encouraging this

waa i do? i beg-q ya.
Bellah you going PA? holla oh, i got peeps there i want you check on for me

candygirl wrote:

Geyla Queen wrote:

candygirl wrote:

but then come yell oh.. cuz the Right Honorable progressive is in Da House

Look, stop encouraging this

waa i do? i beg-q ya.
Bellah you going PA? holla oh, i got peeps there i want you check on for me

ehn you see...ok

Geyla Queen wrote:

candygirl wrote:

Geyla Queen wrote:

candygirl wrote:

but then come yell oh.. cuz the Right Honorable progressive is in Da House

Look, stop encouraging this

waa i do? i beg-q ya.
Bellah you going PA? holla oh, i got peeps there i want you check on for me

ehn you see...ok

you girl, what to do? da thing da sickness oh...
i have a family member who is in dis politics thing and i swear ahn care how you talk, it for nathing oh

candygirl wrote:

Geyla Queen wrote:

candygirl wrote:

but then come yell oh.. cuz the Right Honorable progressive is in Da House

Look, stop encouraging this

waa i do? i beg-q ya.
Bellah you going PA? holla oh, i got peeps there i want you check on for me

Yes I will be in Pittsburg, PA...And jes let me know i will get in touch with them. There will be strong Resolution coming out of Pittsburg too on the prevailing situation in the country..............

Your cant even control small dirty back yards, da Liberia your will be qualified to put your moff on. As for Massallay, let him try. When he was election commissioner, didnt he know all this.

That today he get religion? As for Candy, her own, she just blowing up around here oh, acking lek Cover Girl....lol

gadyu wrote:

Your cant even control small dirty back yards, da Liberia your will be qualified to put your moff on. As for Massallay, let him try. When he was election commissioner, didnt he know all this.

That today he get religion? As for Candy, her own, she just blowing up around here oh, acking lek Cover Girl....lol

hmmm... wetin?
how you sweating so?

candygirl wrote:

gadyu wrote:

Your cant even control small dirty back yards, da Liberia your will be qualified to put your moff on. As for Massallay, let him try. When he was election commissioner, didnt he know all this.

That today he get religion? As for Candy, her own, she just blowing up around here oh, acking lek Cover Girl....lol

hmmm... wetin?
how you sweating so?

He eating GBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBb Mr. BC

You know why I sweating. I cant stand it.....

gadyu wrote:

You know why I sweating. I cant stand it.....

I C...........

gadyu wrote:

You know why I sweating. I cant stand it.....

i see the sweat with my own two eyes.. i see your eyes closing just like you.....

coming...
Ehnnnnnnnnn?