Forefront runner for the Chairmanship of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), Prince Alex Harding has written a strong worded letter to President Julius Maada Bio referencing ‘erratic behavior of Ahmed Saybom Kanu’.

Below is the unedited letter written by Dr. Prince Harding to the first gentleman of the Republic to take immediate response on happenings within the party in the party ongoing lower level elections.

The official letter published verbatim:

AHMED SAYBOM KANU AND HIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR

I have decided to respond to the latest of Ahmed Saybom Kanu’s epileptic and rabid attack on my person, Dr. Prince Alex Harding, National Chairman SLPP and by extension the party hierarchy.

Mr. Saybom Kanu a one-time sympathizer of UDM and its leader Mohamed Bangura is of the compulsive habit of always blaming others for his failures and misdemeanors.

First let me lay bare the fact as it is:

FACT:

On Sunday 6th June 2021, on my way to Bo, I made, my usual stop-over to Mr. Korokoro, the district Chairman, Tonkolili District whose house is closed to the high way. He revealed to me that his life is threatened by the hired supporters of Ahmed Saybom Kanu. He further repeated his claim that about a week ago, his house was pelted with stones and rocks and attacked by the mercenaries of Ahmed Saybom Kanu but for the quick intervention of the police he could have lost either or both of his life and house.

After that, I visited the police station in Mile 91, and discussed Mr. Korokoro’s plight with the L.U.C Mr. Sankoh, the support officer a lady, and another three buttoned officer. The L.U.C replied that he did investigate the matter but Mr. Korokoro sent someone to give a statement on his behalf and he did not press the matter further. In my address, I informed the L.U.C that SLPP will be holding the Lower level Elections for the next three days within Tonkolili District and Mile 91 is one polling center. To my surprise, the L.U.C denied knowing about it. However I pleaded with him to ensure that peace prevails which he promised that he will do so.

As soon as I set foot outside the office of the L.U.C, I was accosted by Saybom, Mr. Kondor, Mr. Jumu, Former SLPP MP Candidate and others. Mr. Saybom in his usual erratic manner threatened me and that if I leave any security personnel with Korokoro, they will invoke the Poro Spirit and attack Mr. Korokoro’s house and engulf them. Mr. Kondor also threatened in like manner.

In unison, they threatened which, has now manifested, that Korokoro should not interfere nor go near any polling station and will BURN any vehicle which will carry Korokoro. As an experienced Politician, I calmed them down and in fairness; they ’assured’ me that no harm will be done to Mr. Korokoro.

At the point of leaving the police station, a convoy of PPRC vehicles streamed in, headed by the Acting registrar Mrs Zainab Moseray. She and her group walked passed without saying a word to me. I left and headed for the party office which as you know is next door to Korokoeo’s house.

At the party office, I addressed a group of irate youths who complained about Jobs and Mr. Korokoro not helping them. I addressed them that Jobs will eventually come as the Economy improves and Projects which are in the pipe-line materializes. I admonished them to maintain peace and not to be used by any politician to breach peace. Prior to that, I asked Mr. Saybom Kanu to leave us as I wanted the youths to talk to me freely. During our discussion, a 35 –year old young man, Mr Barrie joined us and introduced himself to me as the current Regent Chief. He informed me that he has been trying to meet me, so that I will play a mediating role between himself and Mr. Korokoro as they are related.

Mr. Mohamed Rado Swarray, Minister of information and communication joined in and offered the same message. I gave the usual BORA to the youths and another to Mr. Kondor, Saybom’s supporter.

Lest I forget, on my way to Bo, I phoned Mr. Abu Abu Koroma who doubles as the Regional Chairman and Resident Minister, North-East on the suggestion of Mr. Napoleon Koroma for him to liaise with Mr. Korokoro to relocate certain venues for easy accessibility. Fortunately, Abu Abu was in Mile 91 and we met just outside Mr. Kondor’s house and discussed the problem and other personal issues.

At the house of Mr. Korokoro, I engaged another group of youths and elders who were been talked to by Mr. Rado Swarray and Mr. Totangi, the head of the Council for Civic Education Development, to desist from violent and see themselves as one. I also engaged them and, as expected, they laid the blame at the door steps of the Regent Chief and Mr. Saybom Kanu. I preached the message of peace and gave them the usual ‘Bora’. I left mile 91, while Mr. Rado Swarray and Mr. Totangi remained behind to continue the peace building process. Everything was captured by the social media.

FACT:

During the difficult days in 2017 and 2018, when Mr. Saybom Kanu and his types where no were to be seen, I supported Mr. Korokoro with logistics on my own including the said Hilux vehicle. In fact Mr. Kondor now the Personal Assistant to Mr. Saybom was in charge of the vehicle throughout the campaign. The vehicle was the only one available which contributed immensely to the campaign. At about the end of the campaign, the vehicle suffered massive engine, gear box and structural breakdown whilst traversing the atrocious roads and hills in Bumbuna and the environs. It took me time and money running into over ( Le 50,000,000.00) to bring it back to life. At any rate I have always sent it to Korokoro and others whenever needed for party work. However, I categorically deny that it was sent with thugs from Freetown. I challenged Saybom and his hired writers to produced proof of anybody to that effect.

FACT:

The issue of writing to the L.U.C in Magburaka is within my mandate as National Chairman. At District elections, I write letters assigning my representatives to witness and report to me accordingly, and also informed the L.U C as to our procedures as enshrined in the SLPP Rules and Regulations, constitution etc.

In fact, at the last District Election, Saybom and his comrade molested Secretariat representatives, an elder and the SLPP National Imam. The written complaints are with me which shall be tabled at the next NEC meeting for deliberation and necessary action.

FACT:

The issues about party cards, separation of the Chairmanship and Leadership of SLPP, are worn-out frivolities, innuendoes, and twisted facts which I will not even talk about. I will leave that to the archives of history.

FACT:

Mr. Saybom is always looking for scape-goats for his nonperformance and he is quick to shoot from his hip. His latest tirade against my person is in a bid to disown his handi- work of calculated violence against Korokoro and his supporters is one case in point. As far as I know Mr. Saybom had disappeared from any visible SLPP politics since SLPP lost power in 2007, and was not seen anywhere in all of our campaigns during the 2017/2018. He only surfaced when SLPP won. He is a master of under-cellar politics. Today he has reared his head for the chairmanship for Tonkolili District. To his shock he has realized that POLITICS IS MUCH HARDER THAN PHYSICS. He underestimated Korokoro’s grassroot popularity and overestimated his own popularity which is money based and ineffective. By all indication he has lost most of the sectional elections. Whenever Saybom suspects of losing all the sections at any venue, his boys will orchestrate chaos and PPRC will abandon the election; e.g., in Mile 91 he lost two sections and his boys created chaos where-in the third and final election was aborted. In Bumbuna he lost all five elections, infact the candidate for Korokoro for one of the sections (constituency) went unopposed. In the last area where constituency 056 is, Mr. Korokoro won all the 5 sections in Kalansuba chiefdom and 2 others sections, Songonie and kemedugu within constituency 056. The same pattern repeated itself throughout the district except Bendugu chiefdom.

Sir, Saybom is not known in Tonkolili outside Mile 91. His insatiable thirst for power at all cost has the propensity to bring the party to its knees in Tonkolili. He is far from being a politician and a follower of your ideals: he later told someone close to me that you have approved his bid for Chairmanship and instructed him to work with Mr. Mohamed Oman Bangura, Minister of Youths Affairs.

Mr. Saybom’s opportunistic tendencies will not force me to abandon tried and tested foot soldiers of the SLPP. Mr. Korokoro belongs to that exclusive class for which I will remain loyal to him as long as such people remain SLPP.

Finally, permit me to further express Saybom’s Juvenile lies: how can I send thugs to support Mr. Korokoro and these thugs ended-up setting-alight Korokoro’s vehicle.

Thank God, let the police do their Job.

I rest my case.

Highest esteem