GGAA-IEC’S POSITION STATEENT admin | January 4, 2015 Since the inception of the noble duty assigned to us GGAA Independent Elections Commission (GGAA-IEC) by the great people of our honorable organization, the Grand Gedeh Association of the Americas (GGAA),fruitless efforts have been made to sabotage its functions. The Association’s National President, Tillman Nuahne Collins and some of his cronies have undertaken every disruptive trick and evil design to undermine the work of the duly elected Independent Elections Commission. The Commission can only surmise that these unwarranted efforts by Mr. Collins and his small group of flowers are intended to derail the pending elections, throw our great organization in disarray and thus perpetuating themselves in power. The Commission wishes to point out that President Collins and Secretary, Gayechuway, only constitute a fragment of the nearly 25-Member Executive Committee. This very important Committee also includes the National Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplin and all nineteen Chapter Presidents. Mr. Collins and his administration refused to give us the database of the organization even though we sent them an official communication requesting the information. This database would have allowed us to determine members and chapters of the organization that are in good standing and thus qualify to participate in the election process. This refusal by the Collins administration forced us to rely on interviews with prospective candidates and others, as well as other means to determine chapter and candidate status and qualifications. It must also be noted that Secretary Gayechuway even refused to publish vital pieces of information from the GGAA Independent Elections Commission on the Grand Gedeh website which is being paid for by all Grand Gedeans. If Collins and Gayechuway were honestly interested in this democratic process and had quickly provided the Commission with the comprehensive GGAA Membership database covering the last four years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, the Gedeh Community would have been well served. The Commission wishes to point out that this very vital piece of information as requested by the Commission nearly two months ago, to help expeditiously facilitate the Commission’s work in a timely manner. The Commission wishes to state that instead of the two elected officers honoring the Commission’s request, they decided to wage a systematic smear campaign against the Commission. Consequently, the Commission is constrained to calls on the pair in this public manner, to reconsider their intransigence posture in the supreme best interest of the entire Diaspora Grand Gedeh Community. The Independent Elections Commission of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA-IEC) was therefore completely shocked and in disbelieve over the repeated unprovoked and unwarranted assaults against it by the same President who refused to cooperate Nuhane Collins. At first, the Commission decided to remain above the fray by taking the moral high ground. However, it is now as clear as daylight that Mr. Collins and the Union’s National Secretary, Johnny Gayechuway have elected to go ballistic in a full blown systematic smear campaign aimed at discrediting and ridiculing the Commission. The Commission finds it very difficult to believe that the Gedeh Union’s National President will consistently embark on this kind of systematic smear campaign not only to blemish the Commission’s image, but to also undermine its credibility. In spite of the Commission’s utmost best effort to restrain herself and remain apolitical as it should, both President Collins and Secretary Gayechuway have become even more relentless in their desperate deceptive design to drag the commission into factional politics. The two elected officers’ unprovoked belligerent assaults against the Commission have left us with no other alternative than to respond appropriately in a proportional manner. President Collins’ blatant attacks against the Commission were disguised in his purported Charismas Day Message to the Diaspora Grand Gedeh Community which soon degenerated into a well orchestrated smear campaign. Although Article VIII, Section 2 (b) of the GGAA Constitution gives the Commission the full exclusive authority to “scrutinize candidates for qualification and eligibility,” while the Commission was conducting the scrutiny process, President Collins took to the airwaves in his devilish campaign. He castigated and maligned the Commission with a litany of unsubstantiated allegations without the common courtesy of first engaging the Commission in a civilized manner with whatever concerns he may have had. Collins and Gayechuway accused the Commission of conducting a flawed and inconsistent scrutiny process aimed at dividing the Diaspora Gedeh Community. Unfortunatelly, they failed to specifically pinpoint what the flaws and inconsistencies were and how the Commission sought to divide the community. The Commission wishes to state that while it is under no illusion that the scrutiny process was perfect, Collins and Gayechuway’s assertions that the Commission sought to divide the Gedeh Community is not only outrageous. The Commission believes this is an evil ploy to discredit the commission for their selfish motives. The Commission believes this is further proof of the pair’s design to undermine and subvert the democratic process for reasons best known to them. In their letter to the public, Collins and Gayechuway claimed the basis of their smear campaign was the Commission’s alleged refusal to grant them audience regarding issues their “administrations raised on behalf of the people who were not being considered.” The Commission equally wishes to inform the public that President Collins, Secretary Gaychuway and their cronies have adopted a rebellious and belligerent (Combative) posture against the Commission. This kind of hostile behavior has made it very difficult if not impossible for the Commission to view them as honest facilitators. What Messrs. Collins, Gayechuway and their henchmen fail to realize is that the GGAA-IEC is the only organ clothed with the constitutional authority to scrutinize, supervise, conduct and determine all electoral matters within the Gedeh Community. Additionally, the Commission does not take lightly her mandate from the National Conference, the ‘SUPREME’ organ of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA) as both power hungry individuals want us to behave. Both Collins and Gayechuway claimed that Most Grand Gedeans believe some members of the Commission are bias and bent on using the Commission to pursue a vindictive agenda and even settle old scores against perceived enemies. Interestingly, they failed miserably to be courageous enough to publicly name the Commissioners allegedly involved in this kind of uncivilized behavior. Therefore, one can safely conclude without any fear of contradiction that this allegation is only a figment of their imagination. Making very serious allegation of this nature and lacking the courage to publicly name the Commissioners, is cowardly and a classic display of dishonesty by both Collins and Gayechuway. Their lack of courage to pursue their allegation with evidence undermines their credibility if there were any. This is further proof that their allegation is nothing but a cowardly strategy fraught with falsehood aimed at spreading rumors to confusion among Diaspora Grand Gedeh Gedeans. Collins and Gayechuway also claimed that another reason for which the Commission has been making egregious mistakes is because it acted outside the confines of its mandate. The Commission wishes to state in no uncertain terms that this is another reckless statement lacking in substance and facts. The recklessness of the statement, calls into question its truthfulness, credibility and sincerity of its believers. Collins and Gayechuway further alleged that there are people on the Commission who want to sideline the National Administration and are doing everything they can to make sure the Commission does not recognize the Collins administration. This assertion by both Collins and Gayechuway is completely laughable. The Commission wishes to state that it is not in the business of recognizing the Collins Administration. The Commission regrets to inform both Collins and Gayechuway that its mandate did not include recognition of the Collins administration or any other administration for that matter. Instead, the Commission was elected by the National Conference, to scrutinize, supervise and conduct free, fair and democratic elections. Collins and Gayechuway further alleged that the Commission acted outside of its mandate as a result, the general membership has lost faith in the Commission and believes the Commission is not capable of adequately carrying out the task for which it was elected. In their feeble, vicious, disinformation and misinformation campaign, both Collins and Gayechuway decided to exploit the recent dissenting opinion publicly expressed. The opinion was by one of the GGAA-IEC’s Members, Commissioner, Tarnyon Nyenon regarding the denial of certification to four aspirants from three of the four teams. The Collins-Gayechuway pair claimed as a result of the dissenting opinion, the general public’s suspicion that the Commission was not capable has been confirmed by Mr. Nyenon. Their argument which the Commission considers senseless, baseless and childish, is that since Commissioner’s Nyenon’s dissenting opion, the Commission has not come up to assure the public that it is capable of conducting the elections. This bizarre assertion is nothing less than a garbage of twisted logic which lacks any iota of truth whatsoever. The Commission challenges both Collins & Gayechuway, to adduce any evidence physical or otherwise, that either President Collins or Secretary Gayechuway ever conducted any survey amongst Grand Gedeans before drawing such a conclusion. The Commission notes that this kind of ill advised strategy was clearly initiated and masterminded by Mr. Collins as this is the only strategy he is used to when he represented one of Liberia’s armed warring faction. It must be noted that Mr. Collins was appointed and gladly accepted and represented an undemocratic armed warring factions, the Liberia Peace Council (LPC) in the erstwhile Transitional Legislative Assembly (TLA) during Liberia’s senseless murderous war. This is another calculated attempt to divide and fictionalize the Commission Members of the five-member Commission are too intelligent to fall prey to such. The assertion also seems to suggest that Commissioner Nyenon is different from the Commission because at one point in time, he differ with his colleagues in a democratic fashion. First, the Commission wishes to make it crystal clear in categorical terms that it is not interested in any attempt at engaging in factional politics. The Commission recalls how factional politics which was the order of the day following the 14-year old murderous war in Liberia, when appointed representative Collins was at the pinnacle of power in the TLA. The Commission wishes to point out that these unprovoked assaults are desperately and deliberately intended to scapegoat the Commission and divert the Diaspora Gedeh Community’s attention. The Commission further notes that history will not easily forget Tillman Collins’ corrupt administration’s dismal performance and lack of accountability over the last four years. With barely five months left for Mr. Collins to exit the Gedeh presidency and face an eminent audit looming his tenure, he has reverted to his old failed tactic as an opportunist trying to revive and reinvent himself by masquerading as an “Advocate.” The Commission likes to use this opportunity to again remind President Collins and Secretary Gayechuway about their failed policies and President Collins’ refusal to account to Grand Gedeans over his stewardship most especially to make quarterly financial reports in accordance with the Union’s Constitution. He and Gayechuway have instead chosen to delve into the conduct and function of the Independent Elections Commission by presented themselves as avowed opponents rather than an honest facilitator sincerely interested in a free, fair, transparent democratic transition. As a clear demonstration of this devilish ploy, they have embarked on a deceptive campaign of disinformation and misinformation against the Commission rather than as honest facilitators desirous of supporting the democratic process. Collins and Gayechuway also claimed, the Commission’s decision to rescind its earlier decisions to deny certification to four aspirants was in line with their suggestion for progress. Since they claim this is the case, then why are they alarming that the sky is falling and the world is coming to an end that there is need for a mass meeting of all Grand Gedeans to prevent it? The Commission is baffled that this wave of interest was never shown when the National Treasurer, Richard Dayway abruptly resigned three months ago citing lack of accountability. This enormous display of energy has yet to also be shown since the National Chaplin, Nehemiah Gbagba resigned barely three month after the Collins Administration assumed the Union’s leadership nearly four year ago, with no effort to replace him. The Commission is also bewildered as to why such enormous interest was not shown by both Collins and Gayechuway, when the National Board and National Administration could not see eye-to-eye for nearly eight months if they were genuine and sincere leaders? It had to take a reputable man as GGAA former National President, William Gear Nyanue’s intervention before sanity could be restored to both institutions. Collins and Gayechuway cited the alleged failure of the GGAA-IEC to meet with them concerning three purported complaints against the Commission which it received. The Commission wishes to state that it could never allow itself to fall prey to Collins and Gayechyway’s grand design to drag it into their political gamesmanship. Firstly, the GGAA Independent Elections Commission wishes to educate both Messrs. Collins and Gayechuway as well as their cling that constitutionally, the Collins Administration, or any other administration is not the proper forum for the adjudication of any electoral matter; Plain and simple. Secondly, any suggestion or the appearance of a suggestion that the GGAA Independent Elections Commission could have appeared before the National Administration for the adjudication of an electoral matter is insane. Thirdly, if there were any legitimate complaints/protests forwarded to the National Administration against the Commission, it would have been very wise were the administration to advise whichever team involved, to redirect said protests to the National Board instead. Interestingly, Collins and Gayechuway elected to assume the role of the National Board, while behaving like “Advocates” and attempting to drag the apolitical Independent Elections Commission into their ill advised gamesmanship. Fourthly, it would have been fool-hardy were the Commission to have subjected itself to this kind of Kangaroo trial, a situation which could have severely compromised the independence of the Commission and bring its credibility into public disrepute. The Commission wishes to advise Collins and Gayecheuway to read Article VIII, Section 1 (G) of the GGAA Constitution which read in part; “All electoral protests shall be filed with the Elections Commission except the Commission is implicated or is the subject of the protest in which case, the protests shall be filed with the National Board of Directors.” There is nowhere in this provision was any reference made to the National Administration as the arbiter of any electoral protest as President Collins and Secretary Gayechuway would want us to believe. The Commission wishes to remind Grand Gedeans about Mr. Collins’ two failed attempts at the Florida 2012 and Taxes 2013 National Conventions respectively, to increase his presidential terms from two to three years without any justification. After these two failed attempts, Mr. Collins orchestrated another grand design at tricking Grand Gedeans into increasing the annual convention’s entry fees per person from (US$50.00) to (US$60.00) during the Missouri Convention again without justification. The GGAA Independent Commission believes the only motive Mr. Collins grand design was to remain a financial leach on the Diaspora Grand Gedeh Community through the Union’s Presidency. It may be recalled that the Diaspora Gedeh Community through the National Conference, made it plain that it cannot continue to sponsor an individual who should be fronting for himself to live the American Dream, as all others nationals are doing in this country. Consequently, the Diaspora Gedeh Community exercising its constitutional authority through the National Conference, wisely, resoundingly and out-rightly rejected such moves without any reservation. Additionally, the Gedeh Community reminded Mr. Collins that is is very, very wary about continuing to keep him in office after he turned the Gedeh treasury in his welfare piggy bank, while other Grand Gedeans are working tirelessly to live the American Dream. Instead of addressing these numerous problem, President Collins, in cohort with Secretary Gayechuway, elected to ignite a chaotic situation where there is none, so as to continue to thrive on chaos. President Collins is well advised to use the limited time he has left of his presidency (4 months), to make full disclosure through comprehensive financial reports. The Comission hopes the reports will cover Mr. Collins’ four-year administration on how much money his administration generated and how much was expended in the name of the Gedeh Union. The Commission hopes the full disclosure reports will be backed by document pieces of evidence to among others include his four inaugural programs, the Unity ball held in Philadelphia July 30, 2011. The Commission further hopes the reports will also include the two thousand United States dollars (US2, 000.00) President Collins collected from several of the nineteen (19) Gedeh Union’s membership chapters in Jackson, Florida. The Commission also hopes the eight thousand United States dollars (US$8,000.00) approved by the Eric Kohn Board for President Collins’ presidential travel and other monetary activities within the Union over the last four years will be included. At the clamix their game plan, Collins and Gaychuway, in the name of the National Administration have decided hold consultation with the people to “decide the best way forward.” The Commission wishes to state that there are credible reports that the pair (Collins & Gayechuway) have scheduled a mass meeting of Grand Gedeans on Wednesday, January 7. The sole purpose of the mass meeting, is to solicit Grand Gedeans’ support in a political coup de tat against the Union’s Independent Elections Commission. It must however be noted that the five-member Independent Elections Commission was democratically elected by the National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, in May 2014. The evil plot is to either replace the Independent Elections Commission, or add their cronies to the Commission in a calculated grand design to subvert the democratic process through an unconstitutional means. The Commission vows this will never stand! Consequently, the GGAA Independent Elections Commission wants to make it unequivocally known that it is prepared to fight the pair’s satanic plot legally with every fiber of its being, in defense of the National Conference’s decision to elect it. The Commission wants to emphasize in categorical terms that its vow to fight legally, is in accordance with the Union’s Constitution, which it took an oath to uphold, defend and protect. Accordingly, the Commission states that it will not sit supinely and allow these mindless individuals (Collins & Gayechuway) to hatch their evil plot with the goal of subverting the democratic process. The Commission wants to assure all Diaspora Grand Gedeans that the Commission will be there in full to warn the silent majority against submitting to any ulterior and rebellious process. The Commission believes this designed by both Collins and Gayechuway, is only inteded to foster their selfish personal political agenda at the expense of the Diaspora Grand Gedeh Community. In so doing, this shall constitute our sufficient authority as the Independent Elections Commission of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA). Done on Sunday, this 4th day of January, 2015 Signed:__________ Mr. Tarnyon Nyenon Member, IEC, GGAA, INC. (763) 226-3634-Cell Signed:__________ Mrs. Susana Waylee Member, IEC, GGAA, INC (515) 556-1041-Cell Signed:_______________ Mr. P. Alphonso Bargblor Secretary, IEC, GGAA, INC (267) 288-8664-Cell Signed:__________________ Mr. Y. Michael Gilman, Co-Chair, IEC, GGAA, INC (313 957-9702-Cell Approved:_________ Mr. Chelly Jolokla Chairman, IEC, GGAA, INC
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 15:09:37 +0000
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