Sierra Leone Telegraph: 24 March 2018:
There has been no official reaction from Dr. Yumkella and his lawyers to the ruling APC party’s decision announced yesterday to drop its Supreme Court case – nolle prosequi. The court hearing was brought by APC’s David Fornah to clarify legislative and constitutional rules which the APC says must debar Yumkella from contesting the elections.
But a senior member of the NGC executive – lawyer Yasmin Jusu Sheriff has dismissed the ruling APC decision as bogus and politically motivated. She said that the petition case brought against Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella by APC’s David Fornah has not been discontinued or thrown out of the Supreme Court. The hearing will go ahead on 28th March 2018 she said.
According to NGC sources, the document of discontinuity signed by the Court’s Registrar “is fake and contrary to the truth. Madam Jusu Sheriff says the action by APC is a cheap political propaganda to win over some NGC voters. She advocated for a change and no one will stop that national change.”
Responding to the news of APC’s decision, Lawyer Jusu Sheriff said: “This is unprofessional behaviour and sharp practise by our colleague (Barrister) Centus Macaulay, done apparently to assist the APC’s crude attempts to score cheap political points. I have written the following in response to one of the enquiries I have received from concerned NGC members”:
“Yes, the Dual Citizenship case is still very much alive. The High Court and Supreme Rules are clear that the document being paraded on social media is NOT the correct or legal way to discontinue such a matter as ours in the Supreme Court. (See document below)
“This silly paper is just another fake product of someone’s imagination, designed to deliberately mislead the voting public into thinking otherwise. Our legal team led by Dr Abdulai O. Conteh is totally confident of our case, and we shall be in court on Wednesday 28th March to go on with this matter.
“There are important national issues at stake that affect hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leoneans, especially in the diaspora. So, NGC and KKY are not about to give up on this case. I think this APC man and his lawyer are now afraid to face the court and want to run away from their bogus case. I hope this helps clarify the facts of this matter and set your mind at ease,” Yasmin Jusu-Sheriff assures NGC supporters and diasporans.
In another, though related development, there are unconfirmed reports of parliamentary candidates of the NGC party now cross-carpeting to the ruling APC. Yesterday, it was reported that one of the party’s elected parliamentary candidates for the Freetown constituencies – Laj Kay of constituency 128, has defected to the APC.
Responding this and other reports of NGC defections, Dr. Julius Spencer – NGC Campaign Spokesman said:
“It has come to the attention of the leadership of the National Grand Coalition Party that certain individuals purporting to be members or officials of the party have been using the name of the party in canvassing votes for the parties scheduled to face each other in the Presidential run-off elections on March 27.
“The NGC wishes to reiterate its position on the run-off elections that was outlined in a statement issued by the party’s Director of Communications and Campaign Spokesman on Wednesday March 21, 2018.
“The NGC has not endorsed or entered into a coalition with either the APC or SLPP. It however advised its members and supporters to make their own individual decisions as to who to vote for in the run-off.
“Any NGC member or supporter who decides to canvas votes for any one of the parties going for the run-off, can only do so in their individual capacities and not in the name of the NGC. Those individuals claiming to be canvassing votes for the APC or SLPP on behalf of the NGC are advised in their own interest to cease and desist forthwith.”
APC application to Supreme Court to quash Yumkella case:
To God be the Glory. May the Right person with a heart for the PEOPLE win. Amen.
Here we are again Sierra Leoneans, a repeat of the 1971 elections. The ghost of Pa Shaki has resurrected again in our beloved country.
The International Community by now should know that the APC government and party are not democratic institutions. APC is a Communist Party based on misguided ideas from Mao Tse Tung, the Green Book of Ghadafi and a little bit of Russian ideology. The party is supreme over the constitution. So, that’s why the Koroma government has no respect for the rule of law. The International Community is blindsided on this truth.
This is a fact, the APC government will not give up power democratically, because its not a democratic institution. President Koroma has a greed to retain power, by secretly planning his clandestine move. If Sierra Leoneans could remember, he removed Army General Milton and the Police Chief Munu, before announcing the Election schedule for March 7. He crafted this plan and ill intention to sabotage and thwart the democratic process in favor of the APC.
Its unfortunate to reiterate that the only language APC understands is the BARREL OF A GUN, for them to relinquish power. Every Sierra Leonean who remembers the mid 1970’s will attest to this truth. Pa Shaki left us with a civil war and now EBK want to be life President like his counterpart President Xi of China, and leave us with a “tribal war”. I think EBK did not study the History of Sierra Leone well, to learn the lessons that happened to the forefathers of Northern tribes, who fought the people of the South and East.
I do pray and hope the International Community, the AU, Ecowas, the Commonwealth will take immediate and concrete actions, to hold Mr. ERNEST BAI XI-KOROMA to task for the destabilisation of the fragile peace Sierra Leone has nurtured so far. Hope the International Court is ready to take the rogue leader on. What happened to Jammeh in the Gambia must be implemented to remove these rogues from the affairs of our beloved country.
Sierra Leoneans are not going to accept this any more. Enough is enough of these rogues controlling the affairs of our beloved Country, Sierra Leone.