The 2018 presidential Aspirant of the Unity Party, Femi Claudius-Cole has slammed the directive issued to the Mayor of Freetown, other districts’ chairpersons and councillors to vacate office as disrespectful and rude. 

According to Femi, it is inappropriate and disrespectful for an appointed minister to send letters to elected Mayors, Chairpersons, and Councilors with an order to ‘step aside’.

She wrote;

Have we lost all sense of decorum? Imagine an appointed minister sending letters to elected mayors, chairpersons, and councillors with the header “notice to step aside”,…. and ..vacate! Let us disregard the inaccuracies contained in the letter, and blame it on ignorance, exuberance or a desire to please! Who I don’t know. Addressing them in such a manner is disrespectful and just flat-out rude. This screams out for an apology, but alas, we know none will be forthcoming.

She expressed her displeasure following the event of a letter from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs ordering the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyer, and all other district chairpersons and councillors to vacate office, effective March 2023.