August 23, 2021
By Ilyasa Baa
As Members of the All Peoples Congress (APC) in the Northwest Region are taking part in the lower level elections today to elect delegates for their national delegates conference, the Acting Publicity Secretary, Sidi Yayah Tunis and Hon Mohamed Bangura were on the national broadcaster arguing over the inclusion of unresolved membershion issues (Chief Samsumana) as part and parcel of the conference.
According to Sidi Yayah Tunis, the Justice Fisher ruling did not include the adoption of unresolved membership issues as part of their Makeni conference.
He said the court order gives them the right to discuss only issues relating to the adoption of the constitution.
He expressed that they will go by the court order to the letter noting that unresolved membership issues will be dealt with after the conference when a suitable time will be found to look at the issue.
He referred to Bangura’s interest as one that is against the court ruling. He said the second highest decision making body which is NAC does not partake in the process therefore there is no need including the issue of unresolved membership in the fourth coming conference.
Hon Mohamed Bangura argued that there had been a ruling initially, that ordered that the issues of unresolved membership and the adoption of the constitution be discussed if the Port loko convention was not slammed an injunction.
He said it is left with the party to include the issue of the reinstatement of Chief Samsumana alongside the adoption of the party constitution. He claimed that there is a ploy within the party to exclude certain members of the party including Samsumana. He also assured that the Justice Fisher ruling will be implemented fully.
Meanwhile, the party is carrying on with the lower level elections from 20th to 31st August totaling to 134 elections nationwide to elect five delegates from each district, twenty delegates each from both the Youth League and the Women’s Congress.
An APC member in Waterloo who is a tailor, Pa Osman Kabia opined that the issue of the return of Samsumana, if not handled carefully will jeopardize the party’s victory come 2023.