13th January 2021
The Chairman and Leader
All Peoples Congress
Railway Line
Freetown.
Dear Chairman and Leader,
CONCERN OVER ENDORSEMENTS OF FLAGBEARER ASPIRANTS BY MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL AND NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEMBERS.
I wish to draw your attention to some unfortunate developments in the Social Media relating to steps taken by some members of the NAC and National Executive of our reverred APC Party to endorse one of the Presidential Aspirants of our Party for the 2023 Presidential Elections in breach of established democratic tenets and directives issued by you at the NDC in Port Loko admonishing elected officials against taking sides at this stage in the elections. I believe that you made this admonition because such actions have the propensity of fomenting chaos and divisiveness in our internal democratic process.
What is more disturbing is the fact that the Acting National Organising Secretary, Mr. Sidi Yahyah Tunis stated at his declaration, that even if elections will be conducted to determine the new leadership for our Party and the Flagbearer, they will dictate to voters who and how to vote. What such public pronouncements will imply is that no level playing field can be guaranteed and that senior members of our Party are determined to impose a Flagbearer on us for the 2023 Presidential elections.
Mr. Chairman and Leader, you will observe from the videos I have forwarded to you via WhatsApp that these National Officials have not only endorsed one aspirant, but that they have gone further to make derogatory remarks against other contending aspirants. The less than complimentary ways in which we have been characterized cannot forster the much needed peace and unity which has eluded us since 2017.
Mr. Chairman and Leader, you will observe from the videos that Ms. Diana Konomani ( Regional Chairperson for the East); Hon. Chernor Maju Bah (Acting Regional Chairperson, West; and Mr. Sidi Yahyah Tunis ( Acting National Publicity Secretary) have gone ahead to endorse one aspirant and are campaigning publicly for him. It is also an established fact that Mr. Lansana Fadika is serving as National Campaign Chairman for Dr Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara.
You will agree with me Sir, that while my campaign acknowledges the right of every member of the APC to support the candidate of their choice, having National Officials, including members of NAC openly campaigning for one aspirant could potentially derail the democratic process and undermine any outcome from an already flawed electoral process. This does not bode well for peace and stability in our Party.
I also wish to let Your Excellency know that the four names mentioned above are not the only National Officials that are openly traveling with Dr. Samura Kamara and campaigning on his behalf. Some have even invited other District and Constituency Leaders and put undue pressure on them to support their preferred candidate. My campaign is investigating these reports and will be coming up with documentary evidence in due course.
This letter therefore serves to bring this to your notice and to further demand that the four officials mentioned above resign their current positions and recuse themselves from participating in our internal electoral processes because we have lost confidence in their ability to be neutral arbiters and that they can only undermine the credibility of the process.
My campaign has full confidence in your leadership and trusts that under your leadership, prompt action will be taken to relieve these four officials of their official positions in the best interest of the Party. It is our expectation Sir, that the actions taken by NAC against Hon. Ibrahim BUNDU and Hon. Alimamy P. Koroma in the run-up to the 2018 Flagbearer elections will be replicated in this case.
Thanking you in advance Sir, for your prompt action and for your unflinching dedication to our Party.
Long Live the APC.
Sincerely,
Dr. Richard KONTEH ( D-UNIFIER)
Presidential Aspirant for 2023.
Copy:
1. The Deputy Chairman and Leader
2. The National Secretary General
3. Hon. Chernor Maju Bah
4. Ms. Diana Konomani
5. Mr. Sidi Yahyah Tunis
6. Mr. Lansana Fadika