By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
Alfred Ayodele Thompson, the second All People’s Congress Member of Parliament to take an oath in the sixth Parliament, has in an exclusive interview broken silence on his party’s decision, of not involving in any level of governance, and revealed that he had to put his country above all else.
The Western Area Urban APC Member of Parliament made the above statement in an exclusive interview shortly after he had taken the oath of office for representing his people in the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Honourable Alfred Ayodele Thompson explained that his decision of going to Parliament was a judgment that he made for himself. Hon. Thompson said that he had come to the realization that he had to put himself and his party aside and do the right thing by going to Parliament to push the country forward, as that had been his dream.
The APC Member of Parliament recalled that his party had made a decision for them to abstain from going to Parliament which he had signed to, but went on stating that the constitution on the other hand put premium that he should put his country first. “Abiding by the constitution I think is the right thing to do. I have to put my country first,” Hon. Thompson justified.
Explaining on the election saga, Hon. Alfred Ayodele Thompson maintained his party’s opinion that the election was rigged but however said, that he went to Parliament to represent his people and his country. Hon. Thompson admonished his party members of parliament elect that if they could not come to Parliament and posit that the election was rigged they were not doing the right thing. “You can’t fight from outside you have to come and fight from inside. You have to say what is right,” Hon. Thompson emphasized.
Commending the bold step of the Honourable Member of Parliament, the Hon. Speaker of Parliament Dr. Abass Chernoh Bundu expressed hope for the many others out there to follow what he described as a brilliant example. “Honourable members, I’m quite confident that many more on the way coming and it’s just a matter of time before they reach their destination,” he said.
The Hon. Speaker of Parliament assured full protection of Hon. Thompson. “Let the record show that you were duly elected as an MP to represent your people in this August assembly, and there is no valid reason whatsoever why you should not come and take your seat and represent your people in this August assembly. From now on consider yourself to be under the protection of this house as you duly discharge your onerous responsibilities and duties as a member of parliament,” he strongly assured.