By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
The main opposition party, All Peoples Congress (APC) Members of Parliament elect has on Tuesday 7th October 2023 finally subscribed to the oath of office in the well of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Serra Leone.
Thanking the clerk of Parliament for subscribing the oath of office to all 52 APC Members of Parliament elect, the Hon. Speaker of Parliament Dr. Abass Bundu acknowledged the presence of all APC executives including Osman Foday Yassaneh, Chernoh Maju Bah, Lansana Dumbuya and other dignitaries such as the United.S ambassador and some others.
“Today, November 7, 2023, marks yet another milestone in the life of this Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic. 52 Members of the Opposition APC Party who had followed the dictates of their Party to boycott Parliament have today also subscribed the oath office as Members of Parliament. I therefore consider it a great honour to welcome all of you to this hallowed and sacred Chamber of Parliament,” Parliament Speaker Dr. Abass Bundu expressed.
Immediately after welcoming the elected Honourable Members of the All Peoples Congress party, the Speaker of Parliament read out the leadership of the APC party in the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone with hon. Abdul Kargbo succeeding Chernoh Maju Bah as the leader of opposition in the well of Parliament.
The hon Speaker of Parliament went on by asking a rhetorical question to the elected APC MPs, “what kept you away? He recalled that on several occasions he tried to plead with them to see reason and come to the House to perform their sacred constitutional duties for which they had been elected by their people. “Although nearly four months late in arriving, nonetheless it’s better late than never,” the Speaker expressed.
The hon. Speaker of Parliament furthered by sending a very special tribute to the Independent Commission on Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) for living up to its legal mandate and to the expectations of the general public. “So, all of us, the Executive Branch and the Legislature alike, today deserve the fullest commendation for having had the foresight to propose and legislate into existence the ICPNC which has worked tirelessly to bring about this exalted and much desired outcome. All of us therefore should applaud their timely intervention, said the Speaker.
The Speaker on behalf of the entire House, also conveyed a profound appreciation to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the Commonwealth Secretariat, for ensuring the successful outcome of the dialogue between the ruling SLPP Government and the APC Opposition which he said had been consummated from the APC agreeing to terminate their boycott and to assume their seats in the Well of the House to begin the process of discharging their constitutional responsibilities to the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic to which they had been duly elected by their people.
