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The return to governance of the All Peoples Congress (APC) elected representatives as stated in the recently signed Communique of the October 16th – 18th, 2023, dialogue between the SLPP government and the main opposition APC, is an issue that is yet to be fully resolved.
The signed communique is the real road map to end the political impasse in the country. And in the same token, will to a large extent serve as a deterrent to impunity practiced by public officials in Sierra Leone, who openly abuse the law with utmost disregard to its consequences.
The taking of seats by the APC elected representatives in their respective institutions (Parliament and Councils) that was announced on June 24, 2023, elections, and outlined in Resolution 2 of the Peace Dialogue Communique which states that the APC will end its “non-participation in governance” should be put on hold and in its right perspective.
The APC’s primary objective in the dialogue was to ensure that the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) publish the results of the June 24 elections. Resolution 3 of the communique directly hinges around the reasons for APC’s political position regarding their non-participation in governance.
The communique includes the retrospective payment of benefits to the elected representatives when they take up their offices. This is very important and therefore the elected representatives must no longer be in haste to take their seats, but to ensure they make the necessary sacrifice for the Party to get the justice it deserves.
It must be noted that the reason for the elected representatives to wait and not take their seats until Resolution 3 is accomplished, is because it is only their non-participation that has the required pressure to achieve the Party’s main objective.
And that objective, which is about the publication of the announced results by ECSL can only be achieved by effecting Resolution 3 of the communique. It is therefore prudent to state that Resolution 3 in the same communique must be a precondition for Resolution 2.
ECSL must publish the results pursuant to and in accordance with sections 91,92, and 93 of the Public Elections Act, 2022 (PEA,2022). That said, it becomes relevant to emphasize to the elected APC Representatives and they must know it that there is no longer any need for them to be in haste to take their seats, and that their exercise of patience will be a reason for increased representation, that will in turn be beneficial to other colleague, the Party, and the country at large.
The elected representative must be reminded that even Mohamed Bangura publicly has commented that the June 24 elections were not reflective of the people’s votes. The APC and its leadership in particular promised to protect the votes of the electorates, and this is a cause worth sacrificing for.
The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) has deliberately refused to publish the results. The refusal of ECSL to publish the results is now an open secret that the announced results were falsified, and such criminal act attracts 5 years imprisonment when proven pursuant to section 120 of the PEA, 2022: “A person who being a member or officer of the Election Commission, charged with the counting of votes or making of return at an election, wilfully falsifies the account of the votes or wilfully makes false return commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than 20,000 Leones or imprisonment for a term of 5 years or both the fine and the imprisonment.”
The primary reason for the ECSL’s reluctance to publish the election results is the fear of imprisonment if proven guilty of falsification. His refusal is nothing short of impunity and disregard for the law of the land.
APC must know, and particularly the APC elected representatives, that the peace dialogue and its communique will be pointless if the Party’s main position statement that has to do with the cause of what led to the impasse is not met.
The leadership of the APC must insist and let it be known that Resolution 3 of the communique must be a precondition for Resolution 2.
Ah APC, una dae do well for unasef. I’m happy, if true, you people are not taking your position in governance because I’m sure there would have been countless fighting in parliament by now. Please APC, continue to stay away from our peaceful parliament. We don’t want rotten fishes to spoil our good ones. Hahahahahahahaha!
I really blame the SLPP for encouraging this nonsense behaviour of the apc. I saw no reason in the dialogue in fact. As the President, earlier on said, the apc is not good for themselves and the country. Let the apc be discarded and let’s move on. The apc is really not important for the development of our country. Let them go to hell.
Umph. God help Sierra Leone
We know that SLPp are rotten already that why they are begging us to come to the parliament because we are the once that can put them to their correct senses,they all have coconut 🥥 head .tif tin dem.
Country first, Govt;when deserve.
APC are not good for Sierraleone any more.
If you are a Math teacher, you write a problem the board for your students to solve it. They all did and got the answer right. Then you call on one student to solve the same problem on the board but the student refused. You insisted but the student refused . Such refusal can only mean one thing, the student spied the right answer from a classmate. If he has worked the problem himself, he would have been happy to work it out on the board. ECSL Commissioner is like that student who got the answer of the Math but cannot explain how he got it. APC should insist on doing the right thing.
Those are the true voices of real sierra Leoneans
Yeah! That is what we call Non-nonsense and opposition
Let’s stand together and fight this at once, if we let go of this act of ECSL, There is a tendency for it to be continue for generations.
If really the results are credible as announced by the ECSL commissioner. Let him also publish the disaggregated data to clarify himself and the commission as well.
I’m not an APC or an slpp but urging leaders to do the right thing is always good
In the first place,HE the president shouldn’t have tolerated this kind criminal act done by the membership of All people Congress party.
I would you be paid for something you never work for,or to drop criminal charges against you. Come on,our country it’s a law abiding state, which every citizens is not above it’s.
This same government lost election twice, and the election was full with irregularities,but the followed the rules of law,and in the end the case where strock out.
APC as a party failed to follow the rules of,and their is no way you can get justice outside of court.
It’s too bad that people in Sierra Leone don’t respect the laws of the country. This is not about the party in a limbo, but about the effort other countries that came to the aid the crisis. Now it seems effortless. Is this a smart move for the government in power. How trustworthy is the government of Sierra Leone, from today and onwards. Please think about this . Just a concern citizen of my beloved country Sierra Leone.
This action is good if only implemented. How can you rebel against democracy and the will of the majority and expect to go as you are the sole owner of mama salone?
APC Party have its own data for all levels of elected officials.
for instance, APC Western Urban has more than 13 MPs and Konneh rebelliously announced that APC Western Urban has 9 MPs, check that of Portloko, Bo, Kenema, Karene, Moyamba etc.
If this is not resolved democratically, I am afraid for the next president, he will do worse than what Bio is currently doing against democracy
It has now proved to we the citizens and lay man that the APC party is responsible for the down fall of this nation. After the agreement of the recently peaceful dialogue between APC and Slpp to stop all this nonsense, and forward our nation, u people did not throw away ur greeviaranc, I guess u know Maada Bio as non nonsense man I bet u all that it will be a shame on u if the public notices that u people are still insisting of the past election results to be announce again this nation will go forward with or without APC
ApC is like a dog that vomits and licks its vomit. Very cheap group of people.
Mr President, you are putting this Nation into the Enemy joy and remarkable remembering that,we made who you became, Betraying us as Positive Supporters if you make us unhappy we will do likewise on to You Sir. You are doing what is against this Nation and even more destroying our Economy by calling on people with no Respect to the great promises of this Nation.
Mr President you are Failing us the people who sacrifice for your Existence in to that Seat
It has now proved to we the citizens and lay man that APC is responsible for the down fall of this nation, after the agreement of the peaceful dialogue between APC and Slpp to stop all this political difference and forward the nation to a better level, and u guys are still holding on ur greeviaranc insisting that the ECSL to announce again the past election results I guess u know Maada Bio as non nonsense man i bet u all that it will be a shame on u all if the public come to know about this. One thing u should know that not only APC members are literate people in this country and besides this nation will go forward with or without APC since we have now know that u people are the problems of this country
Why is it so difficult for Ecsl to publish what everyone has been asking for so that’s means they are not sure of the results they announced so that shows that Slpp and Ecsl are main problems in our nation for now and this is a bad experience and precidence for our children if they are sure that Madda Bio won the elections why is it so hard for presentations of his so called results so that this whole process will lay to rest in the mindset of everyone that means something is fishing.