Sierra Leone Telegraph: 19 July 2016
Sierra Leone’s Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) has today, Tuesday, 19th July, 2016, advised the leadership of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) to carry out a re-run of zonal and sectional elections, recently held in thirty-two constituencies.
This will affect almost thirty-percent of all one hundred and twelve Constituencies across the country.
Today’s PPRC recommendation comes after several complaints and petitions were sent to the PPRC by some members of the SLPP, regarding the party elections which took place on Saturday, 18th June, 2016.
Speaking to a cross section of the national officers and key party stakeholders, the Chairman of the PPRC – Justice Tolla Thompson said that, as a Commission it is its duty to ensure peace and stability between and among members of political parties.
Justice Thompson (Photo) also informed the meeting that the Commission will work with a Committee that will set new dates for the re-run of those zonal and sectional elections, which will also be monitored by the Commission.
He also advised that the SLPP’s Regional Elections Complaint Committees (RECC), should be constituted on or before Monday, 25th July, 2016.
This decision was accepted by the national officers and party members present at today’s meeting, who also promised to work in the interest of the party.
The Committee which will be working with the PPRC will meet on Thursday, 21st July, 2016.
The election re-run will take place in the following Constituencies:
Kenema – Constituencies 016, 017
Kono – Constituencies 020,021,022,023,024,025,026,027,028
Tonkolili – Constituency 62
Kailahun – Constituency 007
Bombali – Constituencies 028,030,031,036
Port Loko –Constituencies 052,054,055
Western Urban & Rural – Constituencies 093,096,100,104
I can’t believe that the leadership of the SLPP is paying attention to the recommendations made by the chairman of the PPRC, because he is a “puppet” working for the APC and his main objective is to spread chaos within the SLPP.
Elections within the party is the sole responsibility of the party officials, and they have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the party which should be respected by all the contestants; and the results declared by the chairman should be final, because in any election there can be only one winner.
I would like to recommend that the PPRC chairman advises the President and the APC to first reverse the unjust and undemocratic manner they used to get rid of the duly elected Vice President, before making any judgement on or recommendation to the SLPP.