Monrovia – The opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has taken its long-running legal battle over the ownership of its Congo Town headquarters back to the Supreme Court of Liberia, vowing to exhaust every legal remedy even as discussions swirl about a possible relocation.
By Willie N. Tokpah
The dispute centers on the sale of the property currently housing the party’s headquarters. The CDC is locked in a legal showdown with the Intestate Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard, represented by Ebrima Varney Dempster, over ownership rights.
According to National Chairman Atty. Janga A. Kowo, the party’s legal efforts have faced multiple setbacks in lower courts.
“The CDC’s Motion to Dismiss (on grounds of pendency) and subsequent Writ of Certiorari (filed with Chamber Justice Cianeh Clinton Johnson) were both denied. These serial denials – without due consideration of legal merits – constitute an abuse of judicial discretion, undermining the Rule of Law and threatening Liberia’s democratic stability,” Kowo said in a statement.
He disclosed that the CDC has filed appeals to the Supreme Court in both the Specific Performance and Summary Proceedings cases.
“The Bills of Exceptions have been duly prepared and approved by Judge Smith, and the CDC’s legal team is finalizing the appeals process,” he added.
In a statement issued on Thursday, 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 rulings against the party in its dispute with the Intestate Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard—represented by Ebrima Varney Dempster—over the sale of the property currently housing its headquarters in Congo Town, outside Monrovia.
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 finalize 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 appealed both cases to the Supreme Court, arguing that “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 jeopardize fairness,” Kowo said in the statement.
He urged partisans to remain calm and patient as the matter proceeded.
The case has now entered a phase, with the party’s legal team finalizing 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.
The dispute over the CDC national headquarters stems from a 2024 Right of First Refusal offer extended to the party by the Intestate Estate of Martha Stubblefield Bernard, represented by Ebrima Varney Dempster.
The CDC, which has occupied and invested in the Congo Town property for more than 20 years, says it formally accepted the offer and expressed readiness to complete the purchase.
According to the CDC, relations with the estate soured when it attempted to carry out standard due diligence on the property.
The party alleges that instead of finalizing the sale, the estate initiated an “illegal eviction attempt” through the Civil Law Court in 2024, a move the CDC successfully challenged at the Supreme Court in May 2025, which affirmed the party’s legal tenancy.
However, less than a month later, on June 2, the estate served the CDC with a one-week eviction notice, demanding the party vacate the premises.
The CDC argues that the notice violated the binding agreement of offer and acceptance between the two parties.
In response, the party filed a suit for specific performance at the Civil Law Court to compel the sale of the property.
Presiding Judge Smith dismissed the case without hearing its merits and proceeded to entertain a separate summary proceeding for property recovery, despite the pending enforcement suit.
The party’s motions to dismiss the recovery case and a subsequent Writ of Certiorari to the Supreme Court were both denied.
The CDC has since filed formal appeals in both matters, accusing the lower court of abusing judicial discretion and questioning its impartiality, particularly over a directive for the Liberia National Police, rather than the Court Sheriff, to enforce any eviction.
The case is now set to be heard before the Supreme Court, with the CDC insisting it will fight to uphold the Rule of Law while simultaneously preparing for a possible relocation of its headquarters if the legal outcome goes against it.
‘We will not break’
The CDC, one of Liberia’s most prominent political parties, was founded in 2004, in the aftermath of Liberia’s civil war, and quickly rose to prominence as a major opposition force. The party’s founding members included political activists, intellectuals, and members of the Liberian diaspora who sought to present a populist, reform-oriented alternative to the country’s post-war political establishment.
The CDC’s most recognizable figure is George Manneh Weah, the retired international football star and 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, who became its political leader soon after its creation. Weah ran as the CDC’s presidential candidate in 2005, and in 2011 as vice presidential candidate – running mate to veteran Liberian politician Winston Tubman (as part of a coalition), and again in 2017, when he won the presidency, becoming Liberia’s 25th president.
Ideologically, the CDC presents itself as a grassroots, pro-poor party, appealing strongly to Liberia’s urban youth and working-class citizens. Its campaign colors are blue and white, and its headquarters has traditionally been in Congo Town, Monrovia, which has served as a key mobilization hub.
This ground has long been a symbolic stronghold and organizing hub for its grassroots base. The looming possibility of relocation has stirred emotions among supporters, many of whom see the property as a historic pillar of the CDC’s political journey—from its opposition days to its six-year tenure in power.
“We are mighty, we are strong, we can’t not be shaken, we are CDC we been down this road before and this too shall pass,” wrote Cyrus Lomah, a staunch supporter.
“CDC is an ideology that we are prepared and committed to safeguard for the rest of our lives,” added Kelv Philanthropist Nyemah.
The latest legal twist follows a series of court rulings against the CDC, which the party argues have been procedurally flawed and politically motivated. However, the opposing side maintains that the property does not belong to the CDC, and they have no right to compel the owners to sell.
With the appeals now heading back to Liberia’s highest court, the fate of the CDC’s headquarters remains uncertain. The outcome will not only determine the party’s physical base but could also influence its political footing ahead of future elections.
Emmanuel Weedee-Conway contributed to this story.
