The National Executive Council of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) sincerely thanks the International Community, the National Electoral Commission, the Sierra Leone Army and Police and all others who in divers ways contributed to the current success of the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Special thanks and appreciation also go to the numerous PMDC members and supporters without whose invaluable support the PMDC could not have performed so remarkably at the polls.
Now that the final results are about to be certified and published by the National Electoral Commission, the obvious next stage of the electoral process is a run-off between the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). In that regard, approaches have been made by both the APC and the SLPP soliciting support from the PMDC.
In an earlier Press Release, dated 14th August 2007, the PMDC had indicated that in the event of a decision to lend support to any of these two parties, that decision shall not be influence by tribal or regional sentiments. This position was taken so as to address the polarized voting pattern of the electorate in the just concluded first round of voting. The North and West voted predominantly for the APC whilst the South and East voted predominantly for PMDC and SLPP respectively. Any decision by the PMDC to form alliances based on tribal or regional considerations would further divide and disunite Sierra Leoneans.
In our nationwide consultations and deliberations considerable consideration has been given to our party’s espousal of Positive Change, the performance record of the SLPP and their avowal of continuity and the undertaking by the APC to make a clean break from their past.
The PMDC had always extolled Positive Change from anything negative to everything positive in the governance of Sierra Leone and the well being of the citizenry. We still look forward to a day in history when Sierra Leoneans would give us the mandate to make this ideal a reality.
After the 1996 general elections the people voted in the SLPP on the high expectations that a Tejan Kabbah administration would redeem them from misery and poverty. They had high hopes that the government would provide social services and the basic necessities of life. The SLPP woefully failed to meet these expectations, blaming their failure on the war. They were therefore given another second five-year opportunity in 2002. They failed the people again due to corruption and mismanagement of the economy. Their sub-standard performance at the 2007 polls is no doubt indicative of the low level of confidence the people have in them.
Another important concern that has influenced us in our deliberations is the welfare and protection of our members. The spate of intimidations and harassment of our members by elders and traditional rulers had reached alarming proportions during the campaign period. As such, there is no guarantee that should the PMDC lend support to the SLPP, these intimidations and harassment would stop. The SLPP has a poor track record of keeping promises. .
Another consideration has been the performance of the APC at the polls. That performance reflects the desire of the people for a change in governance. This is coupled with the fact that Ernest Bai Koroma had earnestly declared a departure from the APC of the past and promised to usher in a new APC governance style.
It is the view of the majority of members and supporters of PMDC that this time around it is Ernest Bai Koroma who should be given the opportunity the SLPP had twice been given and twice misused. By reason of the premise the PMDC hereby declares support for Ernest Bai Koroma in the upcoming presidential run-off and hereby calls on all its members and supporters to come on board and support Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma’s APC in the interest of national unity and development.
One for all
All for One
Long live PMDC
God Bless Sierra Leone
Done this 24th day of August, 2007
ANSU B. LANSANA - NATIONAL SECRETARY GENERAL
Photo:Left to right, Charles Margai(PMDC), Amadu Jalloh(NDA)and Ernest Koroma(APC).
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