Monrovia-The opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) says it has begun preparations to establish a new national headquarters as the party braces for the outcome of a heated legal battle over the property it has occupied for more than two decades.
Willie N. Tokpah
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 14, CDC National Chairman Atty. Janga A. Kowo confirmed that the party is making “arrangements for an orderly transition” to a new facility, even as it pursues legal remedies at the Supreme Court of Liberia.
The move follows a series of contentious court decisions that have gone against the party in its dispute with the Intestate Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard, represented by Mr. Ebrima Varney Dempster, over the sale of the premises currently housing its headquarters in Congo Town.
The CDC maintains that in 2024, it was granted and accepted a Right of First Refusal to purchase the property.
However, the party says attempts to finalise the deal were met with hostility from the estate, culminating in a one-week eviction notice issued on June 2.
The party responded by filing a suit for “Specific Performance” at the Civil Law Court, seeking judicial enforcement of the agreement.
But Presiding Judge George W. Smith dismissed the case without a hearing on its merits, later allowing a separate summary proceeding for property recovery to proceed despite the pending enforcement matter, a move the CDC argues violates Section 11.2.1(d) of Liberia’s Civil Procedure Law.
The party has since lodged appeals in both cases with the Supreme Court, claiming “serial denials without due consideration of legal merits” amount to an abuse of judicial discretion.
The CDC has also raised concerns over Judge Smith’s directive for the Liberia National Police, rather than the Court Sheriff, to enforce any eviction, calling it a departure from established civil procedure and a sign of possible prejudice.
“While the CDC remains steadfast in its respect for the Rule of Law, it condemns arbitrary judicial actions that jeopardise fairness,” Kowo said in the statement.
He urged partisans to remain calm and patient as the matter proceeds.
The case has now entered a phase, with the party’s legal team finalising Supreme Court filings.
But in a clear signal that it is preparing for all possible outcomes, the CDC is pressing ahead with plans to relocate its headquarters, potentially ending a two-decade presence at its current site.
