Sheriff Mahmoud Ismail: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 18 February 2023:
Earlier today in Makeni, former President Koroma addressed the opening ceremony of the All Peoples Congress (APC) National Delegates’ Conference (NDC). Bearing in mind that the APC is widely expected to win the June 24 elections, former president Koroma spoke strongly about peace and unity for both the APC and the country.
He expressed optimism for the electoral victory of the APC and acknowledged that the party’s leadership would have a huge task managing the transition.
He maintained that effective management of the post-election victory is critical for the new APC government to hit the ground running.
He also made the point that ensuring peace and orderliness in the immediate post-election phase was critical for Sierra Leone’s peace and national cohesion.
On his in international engagement, he said after this conference would have elected it’s new leaders and the APC would have won the June 24 elections, he would dedicate more time to his family and focus his attention on supporting democracy, peace and security in West Africa and on the continent.
He thanked his family for the support they have given him throughout his time in politics. He also thanked all those who had stood with him during the difficult years since 2018, and expressed gratitude to the APC for giving him the opportunity to lead and for the extraordinary support accorded him throughout these years.
The former President and erstwhile chair and leader of the APC wished the Conference well.
In another development, it seems the APC has perfected the art of electoral transparency.
Following its very painstaking lower elections, and the hard experience of petitions and re-runs, the All Peoples Congress (APC) has decided to ‘up its ante’ with regards the conduct of the elections for the National Officers and its presidential candidate.
In addition to a comprehensive database of all delegates, the APC has developed a bar code verification system which ensures a technological account of every single delegate.
The importance of this new system is that it prevents the use of dubious delegates, imposters and proxy voting. The system is so watertight and transparent that it takes away any possibility of disaffection that could lead to petition or litigation.
As the Conference gathers momentum, a deliberate but thorough roll call of delegates, at all party levels, is being conducted to ascertain the eligibility of the elected few on whose responsibility rest the critical task of electing APC’s new national executive and presidential candidate.
For a party that is widely billed to win the June 24 general elections, this is an extraordinary testimony of the APC’s readiness to take up the reins of power and hit the ground running.
In the struggles of the APC, there’s victory!
You can listen to a snippet of former President Koroma speaking here:
This man was not ready for peace, as long as APC is the opposition, EBK is not a peace maker at all. He must come back to power by all means so that he over turn the constitution and become a Prime minister to run the country again. All APCs movements were monitored, EBK does not love this country at all.