By Jonathan Leigh.
Sixty-five out of the 83 current sitting members of
Parliament of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party
will not contest the forthcoming Parliamentary
elections having been unable to secure party symbols
in the recently conducted primary election of their party.
An electoral college made up of sectional/zonal
executives, chiefdom executives, constituency
executives, representatives of women, youths and
councillors across the country has the mandate under
laid down rules and regulations to elect candidates
who should qualify to contest the election under the
party’s ticket.
Reports have it that three district chairmen
representing Pujehun, Bombali and Moyamba, the
National Younth General Leader have also lost whilst
the National Publicity Secretary is battling for
survival in Freetown.
The SLPP primary election for the identification of
candidates has been widely acclaimed as democratic
and transparent. The Coalition of Civil Society and
Human Rights described it as free, fair and peaceful
at a press conference last week.
This notwithstanding, pre-election petitions have been
filed and addressed. And so far there is no reported
threat that losers are leaving the party for other
political parties or to contest as independent
candidates, according to The Democrat newspaper.
The paper further stated that, “Hon. Torto who
feared to contest in Nimiyama in the Kono district
because of his unpopularity is the only reported case
of defection.”
Photo: SLPP leader Solomon Berewa.
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