Sierra Leone Telegraph: 13 September 2019:
News in Sierra Leone this morning is dominated by the story about president Bio’s snap meeting with the former president of the country – Ernest Bai Koroma and his opposition APC leadership. Most of the newspapers welcome the talks which took place yesterday at State House, as a first big step in the right direction to maintaining peace in Sierra Leone.
But some are expressing doubt as to the genuity of the talks, which they say is driven by the president’s need to show the international community, who are beginning to get fed-up of the continuing political tension in the country, that he is a man of peace who is now seizing the opportunity to extend an olive branch to the opposition.
Others say that the president is building up his reputation, ahead of next month’s United Nations Summit where he is likely to face a barrage of protests from opposition supporters in New York.
But pro-government newspapers are saying that the president is genuine in seeking an end to the current political tension and impasse, which they believe is being fuelled by some form of passive resistance by the opposition APC who are refusing to accept last year’s general elections defeat.
These are some of the headlines:
I personally believe that the peace meeting that the Lifetime Chairman attended in Ghana which was organized for former presidents in our region played a role in his decision to command the NAC leadership within the APC party to give him the green light for the meeting with The Fountain of Honor, His Excellency Retired Brigadier Dr. President Julius Maada Bio. I noticed that former president of Liberia who is the latest winner of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Award as one of the best leaders in Africa was not present at that meeting – because she has already made an attempt by traveling to Makeni to persuade the lifetime chairman who as far as his sycophants are concerned was the “ World’s Best“ and was cheated by Mo Ibrahim .
Former President Helen Johnson – Sirleaf failed to persuade him to accept defeat probably because he was still at the height of his depression when his security was withdrawn and he was putting up Temper Tantrum over his Presidential lounge at the Lungi Airport. He went even lower by not attending the event of late President Tejan Kabba since the spotlight will be on the late President rather than him. Fortunately with the help of former President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, the lifetime chairman got the message that he can’t mess with a former military leader who is not afraid of death and that’s the primary reason for joining the military- to sacrifice his life for his country.
I also believe President Bio gave him the assurance that even if they are found guilty by the COI they won’t be named and shamed by the ACC boss (since they are now shaking in their pants) and all they have to do for the nation is to cough up the money they looted. Finally he should command his handpicked Stooge Dr. Samura Kamara to concede by making a public statement and he should also show respect to his party and the people of Sierra Leone by resigning from his lifetime leadership position.