MONROVIA, LIBERIA – A legal tug-of-war between the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and the Intestate Estate of the late Martha Stubblefield Bernard has taken a decisive turn, with the Estate formally rejecting any offer to sell the property currently serving as CDC’s national headquarters while the party remains in possession of it.
In a letter dated June 10, 2025, addressed to CDC Acting National Chairman Atty. Janga A. Kowo, legal representative Cllr. J. Johnny Momoh, writing on behalf of the Bernard Estate, stated unequivocally that there will be no negotiation for the sale of the property unless and until the CDC vacates and surrenders possession of the premises.
This firm response followed a letter from the CDC on June 4, expressing willingness to purchase the disputed property and proposing a meeting to work out payment terms. The CDC’s letter referred to previous communications in 2024 regarding an offer by the Estate, which the party had initially rejected.
However, Cllr. Momoh made clear that the original offer was withdrawn after CDC’s rejection and the Estate subsequently turned to the courts to enforce a 2016 Supreme Court judgment. The judgment had upheld the rights of the Estate to repossess the land, but enforcement had been delayed due to CDC’s repeated legal maneuvers, including Bills of Information and a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus.
The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed that a landlord-tenant relationship had existed between the Estate and CDC, as rent had been paid over time. But that relationship, the Estate argues, does not entitle the CDC to remain on the property indefinitely or condition future sale negotiations on continued occupation.
“The request to have a meeting… is hereby obviated,” the June 10 letter firmly concluded, stating that no negotiation would occur while CDC still occupies the premises. The letter reiterates that the Estate will only engage in talks once it has been restored full possession of the property.
The CDC has yet to respond formally to this latest development, but legal analysts say the party may have little choice but to vacate the premises if it intends to proceed with any future purchase.
The headquarters in question, located in Congo Town, has long been a political landmark for the CDC. However, its ownership has remained in legal limbo for nearly a decade. The refusal by the Estate to engage while the party remains on-site now places pressure on CDC leadership to either vacate or face legal enforcement of the Supreme Court’s decision.
