Is NEC fiddling while the SLPP burns?
I am constrained to come into the open with this concern in view of the persistent representations being made to me and to other stakeholders of our party whose primary interest is to move the party forward to victory in the Parliamentary and Presidential elections of 2012. Since the granting of an interim injunction by the Supreme Court to Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie restraining the party from holding its delegates conference and the election of the party’s flag bearer, the rank and file have felt confused and frustrated over the whole issue. Before the matter was taken to court, various concerned groups had been meeting in order to find a solution to the problem. To the best of my knowledge no member of any of these groups was aspiring to any position in the National Executive Council or to the leadership of the party. If the National Executive had listened to our advice all of what we are going through now would certainly have been avoided. (Photo: Dr Sama Banya)
Unfortunately John Benjamin and his colleagues dug their feet in and were determined NOT to hold any constituency, district and regional elections before a national delegates’ conference. They have used all sorts of procedures, none of which has been helpful; on the contrary they have only landed us where we are at the moment. Notwithstanding all this, there were stakeholders who were and are still determined to find a solution to our problem. I must state here that a lot of progress was made in the last couple of weeks with a broad agreement on the way forward. Here I must commend the patience and tenacity of all concerned.
It was not my intention to name individuals but it would be unfair not to mention the former leader and Presidential candidate Solomon Berewa as well as Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie around whom most of the problem has arisen. As far as I was concerned all that remained could be whittled down to dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. All this was achieved because of mutual trust in our combined determination to achieve success.
It is therefore a matter of disappointment that the National Chairman and his executive are moving in a way that I can only describe as dragging their feet. There is now an indication of a lack of trust on their part; in the meantime time is running out fast. The Supreme Court will not wait indefinitely nor can Dr. Jabbie who has shown much forbearance in the matter. I find it difficult to appreciate, let alone to accept the NEC position on a particular issue; this in addition to the fact that its submission should have been forwarded to Solomon Berewa and not directly to Jabbie.
What NEC is doing now is nothing short of a lack of trust on which everything now hinges. Another stake holders’ meeting as well a news conference was held last Wednesday; I was not privy to either and I therefore will not comment other than to ask where it is taking us.
Throughout this critical period NEC has demonstrated intransigence that has not resulted in progress. The general membership is getting restless and speculations are rearing their heads which may now be dismissed with a wave of the hand because they appear so ridiculous but which may lead to future embarrassment. How much longer must this prevarication continue, until a similar incident to that reported in the New Vision newspaper takes place elsewhere?
My advice to JOB and others is to swallow humble pie and allow progress. If the present goodwill opportunity is lost, the damage to our party will be incalculable. There are the poor flag bearer aspirants who must be fed up with the current state of uncertainty. Instead of taking full advantage of the failure and present vulnerability of the APC government by attacking them with every force, we are still wondering whether or when we would be going to the Supreme Court. Has Jabbie not demonstrated sufficient commitment to the party by continuing to prosecute Christiana Thorpe? Has he not shown sufficient restraint by not going back to the Supreme Court more than two months after the granting of the interim injunction? If by goodwill we get over the current impasse, the ultimate losers are going to be JOB and his NEC colleagues.
LONTA!!
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Fuad
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Mr. grey hair what did you really do and achieve in Sierra Leone as an old politician from the days of late Saika P. Stevens through the 11 years of Kabba SLPP misrule to present. It is better you shot-up and give peace a chance than giving you rag-tag comments. Please note that a fool at 50 is a fool forever and thus you are indeed a fool forever.
16th May 2011You are among the people who corrupted the SLPP party on behalf of Solomon Berewa, a greedy and power hungry man in the last convention held in Makeni. Please leave JOB to replicate the same you deed and give peace a chance.
No matter what Earnest does, you will not appreciate it because he was a small boy who you use to send and in the end you give him the change. Imagine if it was your biological son been the president, would you castigate him as you are doing to this young and hard working gentle man?
Mr. grey hair do to others as you would like them to do on to you. People pray but they have malice thought about others, may God have mercy on them and on us all as sierra Leoneans.