Sierra Leone Telegraph: 11 October 2017
As the row continues into what many – in and out of Sierra Leone, regard as the blatant misuse of administrative rules by the Sierra Leone Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) in refusing to grant a full registration certificate to Dr. Kandeh Yumkella’s National Grand Coalition Party (NGC) today, the chairman of the coalition – Dr Dennis Bright has spoken out. This is what he says.
“As per the PPRC Act, our final certificate of registration as a political party was supposed to have been issued today 11th Oct. 2017. As we were getting ready to go to PPRC, we received a letter from them forwarding objections purported to have been submitted to them by concerned citizens.
“The objections were mainly about the NGC colours, our symbol and a poster or photo of Dr. Kandeh Yumkella prepared by an unknown person presenting him as Presidential candidate for the NGC.
“The PPRC has therefore invited us to discuss the objections on Tuesday 17th Oct. 2017.
“Considering the stupid nature of the objections I am in no doubt that we can dismiss them with a single wave of the hand.
“We have also suggested that the so-called discussions should be held before Tuesday having regard to the length of time the PPRC has caused us to wait already.
“In any case, we are perfectly aware of these booby traps being set along the way for us to fall into and expire.
“We also know that these delays are being inflicted to break our confidence and kill our spirit so that we don’t attain the fruits of our collective endeavour to change the face of history in Sierra Leone and save the future of our children.
“Yes, we know why they are doing all this but let’s wait patiently for one last week, and the world will know on Tuesday next that something huge is happening in Salone when we will shout out the news that the NGC is truly and finally born.
“To our brothers and sisters in the diaspora a special message and appeal to you all to remain calm and focused on our project and please encourage your relatives out here to stay calm and be patient. Trust me.
“We will not allow anyone to infringe on our freedom of association because this is our country and no one has the right to steal our fundamental right as citizens. We pledge that this time we will defend our rights BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. This night must go away and day must break in Sierra Leone at last”.
The ball is now on the court of the PPRC to turn a new leaf and prove to the people of Sierra Leone, its funders – the United Nations Development Programme, and the international community, that it can conduct its affairs without fear or favour.
The PPRC must take cognizance of the fact that there is lot at stake at the 2018 elections, not least consolidation of Sierra Leone’s hard-won peace, and continuing nurturing of the country’s nascent democracy. The PPRC must not be seen to be doing anything that will put its credibility and the nation’s interests at risk.
If other newly created political parties were allowed to register, I see no reason why the PPRC will deny registration to the GNC of Dr. Kandeh Yumkella.
I don’t see Yumkella winning the presidency next year. No third political party will supplant the APC and the SLPP in Sierra Leone’s political establishment. It just will not happen. The APC and the SLPP are so woven into Sierra Leone’s political fabric that it is easy for them to suffocate any third political force to a point extinction.
Yumkella’s support is mainly in the Western area of Sierra Leone and the Diaspora. Diaspora guys do not vote and winning the Western area will not win you the presidency .
As it has always been, the Southern Province and the Eastern Province are solidly SLPP while the North is APC. This alignment is not going to change any time soon. Fact is, Sierra Leone is a defacto two party state.
The Government and the All people Congress have to understand that change is coming and work for the country as one to develop the country. Sierra Leone na we own. No to you own famble own. Progress in all.
Give Dr. Yumkellah – a born Sierra Leonean the right to represent the people. Shame on our elder brothers and sisters to see this type of thing. The party symbol does not infringe the APC or the rest. Leave him alone. Stop playing kids game with our country.
Both S.L.P.P.P and A.P.C are trembling in their trousers and skirts because for the first time in decades they are facing the real possibility of losing power,probably facing decades on the sidelines,firmly benched by the people of Sierra Leone,who are sick of both of them to the pit of their stomachs.Voters are now aware,more than ever before,that A.P.C and S.L.P.P are a curse to the nation,having done nothing significant for the nation since independence in 1961.
With Kandeh Yomkella and his Grand Coalition colleagues revealing themselves as political monsters ready to eat up anything that seems to have life, A.P.C, who have the most to lose are becoming increasingly frightened and disoriented.
This should help to explain the cheap tactics which they have hatched to get PPRC to do their dirty work to stymie the effort of the Grand Coalition to finish the final stages to formally register as a political party. Effectively Earnest and his gang of deceivers are using PPRC as an arm of of A.P.C. to start the process of rigging the forthcoming elections which they are bound to lose in a straight fight with no holds barred.
What else can explain the sudden, sordid turn around of PPRC in handling the Coalition’s application which had included their symbol? What else do they have up their sleeve? Where is their objectivity and professionalism which are supposed to form the spine of their existence?
Fellow Sierra Leoneans 2018 should see us vote not as Mendes,Temenies,Limbas,Lokos,Krios or anything else,but as Sierra Leoneans. We must teach A.P.C and S.L.P.P a leeson for the rest of time.
By any means necessary = Pao-Pa