Commentary
By Victor Reider
For the first time in the political history of Sierra Leone, a political party’s National Executive has been able to organize its Diaspora branches with a view to mobilizing much needed funds to finance their upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The inter-continental tour of the executive of the SLPP initially headed by the National Chairman Alhaji UNS Jah for it’s first and second leg i.e. from China through United Kingdom ended up in the United States of America where it was led by the National Secretary General Mr. Jacob Jusu Saffa including the Young Generation Leader Sahr Nyaama, the National Financial Secretary Josephine Mac-Thompson, the Parliamentary representative Hon Solomon Bengali and my good self Hon Victor Reider The National Publicity Secretary.
Serious business
The presidential flag bearer and Leader of the SLPP Hon Solomon Berewa(photo) has on many occasions intimated that “ Politics is "serious business”. It was with that attitude that the delegation settled to work under very difficult circumstances on arrival in the United States. As I indicated in my last report, there were two contending forces claiming to be the legitimate executive of the DC Chapter to start with. It is necessary to remind readers about this since the ultimate objective that we set ourselves on leaving Freetown, was to have an organized National executive for the entire North America. But to achieve this we firstly must have a unified executive that can carry the affairs of the SLPP in Washington DC which was hitherto one of the strongest Chapters in the US. More so the Washington Chapter must of necessity send it’s delegates to New Jersey if they were to participate in the National Elections.
Washington the bridge to New Jersey
Having accomplished this primary objective, it was now time to head for New Jersey. Sunday was the day when all roads led to New Jersey. It was fanfare from start to finish as Party activists, supporters and sympathizers converged at Newark for what was confirmed by many to be the unprecedented meeting of the Men and Women who are destined to positively change the History of our once devastated Country.
The drive leading to the hall was colored with our National Flag on both sides while the sounds of original Sierra Leonean music took control of the airwaves as the attendees from as far as Ohio, California, Boston to as close as Philadelphia displayed the various party memorabilia including caps, T-shirts, pens, hand bands etc. At the entrance of the hall, a documentary on the rich but chequered history of Sierra Leone found its place on a 39 inches TV screen. Beyond that point into the hall, variety of Sierra Leonean dishes lined both sides of the aisle awaiting the short but tense break that is expected before what were becoming very tense elections that await the aspirants for the various offices.
Inside the hall on the high table, were not only the Chairman of the New Jersey Branch Mr. Felix Kamara and the Freetown delegates but also to witness the occassion were Ambassadors Ibrahim Kamara, Joe Pemagbi and his deputy Ambassador Kanu. It was against this backdrop that the elections were held after the usual courtesies that took the meeting to 4.30 pm when the elections proper started.
The elections
It was firstly necessary to know from the North American delegates whether they wanted an interim or permanent structure. An election was held in that regard and those in favor of an elected structure out voted those against by 48 to 26 votes. It was then time to go into the elections proper. But even before then, a 20 minutes break was granted to the contestants to do their final rounds of campaigning after which campaigning was closed and nominations requested.
Three People were nominated for the position of Chairman i.e. Mathew Margao from Washington DC, Felix James from Philadelphia and Abu Bubu Kamara from Boston. They were given five minutes each to again convince voters as to why they should be elected. This was followed by the nomination for the post of Secretary General for which Messrs Totangui and Bangura were nominated. This approach continued for the rest of the positions including the Young Generation Leader, Women’s Leader, Publicity Secretary, Social/organizing Secretary and Treasurer.
The elections which were conducted in the full view of all and sundry, were free, fair and transparent.They were done by secret ballot and of the chapters that were present including Washington DC, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Atlanta, Ohio, New York, California, Boston etc. Every Chapter had three delegates each. Thus, it was to the satisfaction of all .
Results
The Chairmanship was won by Mr. Mathew Margao by 12 votes, and second was Mr. Felix Kamara and third Mr. Abu Bubu Kamara. The person to emerge as Secretary General was Kalilu Totangui, while the publicity secretary job went to Professor Augustine Smith from Atlanta. The post of Organizing/ social secretary went to Abu Hassan Koroma (Askia) and Abu Saccoh from Philadelphia clinched the Young Generation Leadership. The enviable post of Women Leader went to Ms. Florence Jenkins from Philly and the man who was charged with keeping the important office of the Party’s Purse is Francis Bundu.
At the close of the meeting, the newly elected executive immediately had a marathon meeting with the National Executive from Freetown at the premises of the New Jersey Chairman that lasted a little over three hours where an impressive fundraising was done. And the New North American Executive under the leadership of Mr. Mathew Margao pledged to raise not less that five hundred thousand leones for the 2007 elections.
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