By: Mohamed M. Sesay
In a Press Conference held at Parliament Building, the Leader of the National Ground Coalition Party (NGC)), and one-time Presidential Aspirant for the 2018 elections Hon. Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, on Thursday the 13th of April 2023, confirmed to a galaxy of journalists that he has sealed and settled the alliance deal with President Bio and the SLPP.
The alliance is expected to destroy the chances or the opportunity of the main opposition to win the forthcoming June 24th general elections.
The NGC leader noted that the alliance would be officially launched by President Bio within the coming days.
Hon. Kandeh Yumkella considered the alliance as a new done for Sierra Leone, noting that President Bio and he have chosen very consciously to demonstrate clearly that they could bring their people together.
He said they could be in different political parties and show concern about the country. He added that both he and President Bio are deeply concerned about the growing hate speech, growing divisive messages, and people going after each other, which he assured that the alliance is geared towards healing the nation.
He said both of them are from traditional homes as President Bio is the son of the Southern Chief, and he is the son of the Northern Chief. He recalled that during the colonial times, it was the chiefs who were used to healing the nation together for independence. He disclosed that they had been discussing for more than a year as to how they could put heads together to heal the nation in terms of the growing hate in the country and how they could bring their people together.
“We realized that we as leaders must step forward to say that yes, bygones be bygones, forgiveness across the nation, and we come together, bring our parties together. If I wanted just a job, he could have offered me a job a long time ago. But I don’t want a job I like my parliamentary service. Lawmaking is important as it is part of building institutions”, he said.
He continued that NGC is a Grand Coalition of progressives from SLPP, APC and people who have never been into politics. He added that the alliance is geared towards bringing their resources, and their intellects in order to unify the nation and to also have a new kind of governance.
He acknowledged that there are lots of high costs of living across the world. He assured that the just-entered into an alliance with the Bio-SLPP is also geared towards using their collective knowledge and intellects in order to solve the economic problems of the nation.
He also suggested for a Government of National Unity which the Late President Kabba did under his administration. He furthered that late President Kabba’s first term was a Government of National Unity built by different political parties in order to unify the country. He assured journalists that the content of their alliance would be launched soon by President Bio.
“The good news is, yes two political parties are coming together for the very first time in modern history before elections so that we have a common manifesto and a common set of agenda and action plans so that we focus on delivery. We prioritize peace and cohesion and we have to put our ego aside for the interest of the nation. Once we put salon fos, paopa salon go beteh”, KKY concluded.
