By: Mohamed M. Sesay
In his address to thousands of supporters just after his nomination by the leader of the National Grand Coalition Hon. Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, President Julius Maada Bio has given hope to his supporters that the newly formed alliance between the Sierra Leone People’s Party and the National Grand Coalition is not meaning aimed at winning the next election, but also to secure and transform the next generation.
President Bio intimated that if the SLPP was the only Party in Sierra Leone, the country would be a heaven because the party is peaceful and law abiding. Unlike the All People’s Congress Party (APC) he added that SLPP is the party that does not belief in motherly incentives and have greatest respect for women. He said he was humbled to serve the people of Sierra Leone and also extended profound thanks and appreciation for endorsing him as the Presidential candidate for the June 24th 2023 elections. He assured the people that the SLPP would win the next election in the first round.
“I want to say big thank you KKY for coming in to alliance with the SLPP, thank you to the former APC vice Presient who had join the SLPP and also thank you to APC Alpha Kanu. These are the good APC members and I will go all out to hunt the good APC to join SLPP”, he said.
President Bio continued that Sierra Leone had made tremendous accolade under his administration for being one of the peaceful countries in Africa. He equally assured that his administration would go all out to clamp down on lawlessness in the country especially when going into elections. He acknowledged the difficulties in the country but said it is global crisis. He assured the people that despite the global crisis, his administration had done tremendously well in terms of education, health, gender empowerment, human capital development among others.
President Bio also assured the people that he would not take the country back to 1961 as promised by the APC. He disclosed that massive improvement had taken place in the mining sector under his administration. He referenced that his administration had handed over 38 billion Leones to locals within Marampa Mining site.
In his statement, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, said the occasion after the nomination of President Bio was to say thank you to the people for electing president Bio in 2018. He said the people voted for development of which President Bio delivered. Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh added that more girls are now in school, President Bio promoted gender inclusiveness, providing more infrastructural development among others. He therefore, encouraged the people to repose that same trust in President Bio by re-electing him on June 24th. He assured that president Bio would provide more development for the people of Sierra Leone.
The First Lady Madam Fatima Bio described the nomination day of her husband as a day the people of Freetown would hand over Freetown to next Mayor which Mohamed Gento Kamara. He encouraged all and sundry to vote for Mohamed Gento Kamara as the next Freetown City Mayor. Madam Fatima Bio said it was the people who voted president Bio in 2018 and also called on them to also show that same love for her husband. She noted that even KYY who was the presidential aspirant in 2018, has seen the compelling need to support Prepresent Bio’s reelection. Madam Fatima Bio added that even the former vice President Victor Foh and Alpha Kanu have all placed their support for President Bio. She expressed profound thanks to the people for placing the same confidence in her to promote and protect girls and women across the country. He called all particularly the women to support President Bio because of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Act. She concluded that the progress of the country is the utmost priority of President Bio.
Former Presidential Aspirant for the National Grand Coalition Hon. Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, described the nomination as a historic event because him as the former presidential aspirant for NGC, nominated President Bio and vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh as Presidential candidates for the June election. He added that politics is not about hatred and conflict. He assured that with the support of NGC and other supporters from the APC, President Bio would be surely elected in June without run-off. He disclosed that President Bio made an appeal to him that the country needs concerted effort in terms of governance which was the more reason he answered to the clarion call of the president to form an alliance. He also condemned politics of motherly invectives and showered praises on the SLPP for being a civilized political party.
Former Vice President for the All People’s Congress Party Victor Bockarie Foh, said he was the person that was nominating Presidential Candidates for the APC. He added that he nominated former President Koroma in 2002 and 2007 elections. He added that he also nominated former President Koroma in 2012 and they won the elections. Victor Foh openly declared his support for the SLPP and denounced his membership with the APC. He also called on all those in APC who love development to join him support president Bio. He said he had tremendous admiration for the First Lady Fatima Bio for her relentless effort in support President Bio and for also supporting girls and women across the country. He concluded by assuring that President Bio would be re-elected come June 24th elections. He also preached against politics of malice and hatred.
Alhaji Alpha Kanu said he used to go to the Brima Atouga Mini Stadium but in the capacity as APC Member. Today, he said he was in the same stadium but in a different capacity as a member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party because of the avalanche of President Bio’s developmental activities not only for Portloko, for the country as a whole. He said he is now a ferry man who would ferry all the good APC supporters to vote and endorse president Bio’s re-election.