Monrovia, Liberia — The contest for leadership of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) has taken another dramatic turn, as presidential hopeful Cassell Anthony Kouh formally appeals his disqualification from the upcoming elections.
Kouh, President of FC Fassell, was recently ruled ineligible by the LFA Elections Committee, which cited integrity and eligibility provisions within the Association’s statutes, particularly clauses barring individuals with past criminal convictions from contesting for office.
The decision effectively leaves incumbent LFA President Mustapha I. Raji as the lone candidate in the presidential race, raising the likelihood of a “white ballot” outcome at the May 15 Elective Congress.
However, Kouh has strongly rejected the Committee’s ruling, describing it as unjust and politically driven. Through his legal team, he maintains that he retains the constitutional right, as a free citizen, to participate in the electoral process.
His lawyers further argue that the interpretation and application of the LFA’s eligibility rules are being used to unfairly exclude him, despite earlier court intervention.
The Civil Law Court had previously issued a temporary injunction to review Kouh’s eligibility and later affirmed his right to contest, while stopping short of declaring the relevant LFA statutes unconstitutional, a matter reserved for the Supreme Court.
With the appeal now filed, attention shifts to the LFA’s internal electoral appeals mechanisms, which are expected to make a determination on the final list of candidates ahead of the scheduled May 15 elections.
The outcome of this appeal could prove decisive, not only for Kouh’s political ambitions within Liberian football but also for the broader debate over governance, eligibility standards, and the balance between institutional rules and constitutional rights.
