By: Ilyasa Baa
The differences other wise known as grudges nurtured from the Lower Level Election in Constituency 119 precisely in the Kissy environs could have put the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) in jeopardy come June 24th if the former Member of Parliament, Hon. Abdul Salam Kanu had not intervened to settle the scores ahead of the polls.
According to him, he did not like what was going on as some party members collected monies from aspirants for the parliamentary symbol giving them confidence that they would cast their votes for them only to turn around and vote for another candidate.
Speaking to this medium over the week end, Hon Abdul Salam Kanu called on his colleagues who lost the elections conducted by the party to exercise restraint and concentrate on how the party will win the election without run off.
“I am aware that some of us have spent a lot of cash that would have been reserved to take care of our families but we used it on the party hoping we would win”, he recalled, noting that as politicians they have to take the risk and make sacrifices to attain power. He said as for him, when the results were announced that he lost, he automatically congratulated the winners wishing them success ahead; unlike some others that resorted to violence and discontentment towards the party. He said though supporters collected incentives from them assuring them of victory does not mean those that lost should leave the part at this crucial period in the country’s political history.
He defended that paying for votes has not been new in African politics stating that it is a culture politicians especially in Sierra Leone practice during elections. He said going into election should not be a do or die thing noting that those that think it is like that have ulterior motives, “they want to loot the state”, he asserted.
Hon Abdul Salam Kanu served as MP following an overwhelming victory in the 2012 Parliamentary Election which elevated him from his former position as Councilor at the Freedom City Council where he served for two terms starting in 2002.
He referred to his come back to the battle for the parliamentary seat as a call from his supporters in Kissy in the east end of Freetown whom he said had approached him before the Lower Level Election several times begging him to join the race to represent them again.
According to community youths, the former MP has wealth of experience on how to lobby for the development of Kissy.
Aruna Kamara, a youth at Samuels told this medium that he and a good number of his colleagues had benefited from the self help community driven activities ranging from cleaning to road maintenance works, he facilitated as MP.