Attempt to discredit APC UK/NI Branch

The attention of the Leadership of the All People’s Congress (APC) United Kingdom/Northern Ireland Branch has been drawn to the disturbing news in which a group of individuals attempted to discredit the executive of the Branch.

This follows a meeting organised by the said group at the Methodist Church in London in which they came up with illegitimate resolutions aimed at not only discrediting the Executive headed by Chairlady Kumba Momoh, but also aimed at causing unnecessary confusion within the APC UK Branch.

The Leadership of the APC UK Branch would like it to be known that the dust raised from the 2012 Presidential and General Elections in Sierra Leone is yet to settle down and that the current situation is not healthy for such unfortunate development.

Chairlady of the branch, Kumba Momoh, who has been in Sierra Leone since the November 2012 elections, is therefore calling on all members of the Branch to remain calm and work towards the general good of the party.

Momoh also warns the organisers of such meetings to desist from such illegal meetings and engage themselves in programmes aimed at boosting the President’s Agenda for Prosperity programme.

The Leadership of the Branch has already sent a formal complaint to the party’s headquarters in Freetown and appropriate action will be taken against law breakers.

SEE BELOW FOR LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Hon Victor Bockarie Foe

The APC National Secretary General

APC Headquarter

Old Railway Line

Freetown

Sierra Leone

Dear Mr. Secretary General

A REQUISITION TO SUSPEND THE APC UK & NORTHERN IRELAND BRANCH

This a letter of complaint brought under the collective umbrella of aggrieved executive members of the APC UK & Northern Ireland Branch. This letter will serve as one of the effective mediums for communicating our concerns over the recent contravention of our Bye-Laws by some members of our executive. The acts were disgraceful to say the least.

We therefore ask that the National Executive Council of our prudent Political Partyin Sierra Leone through your respectable office intervene by suspending our Branch forthwith until further notice.

The Basic facts

1. On 13^th January 2013 a General Meeting of our branch was summoned by three members of our executive, namely, Tamba Opel Samsumana, Dr Seray Wurie and Abubakarr Kamara (Bakadies) in contravention of our bye-laws, which is the principal instrument by which the Branch is governed, and it is subordinate to our APC National Constitution.
2. The meeting took place at a Methodist Church in London. The purpose of the meeting was for the trio to inform the general members at the meeting about their newly appointed executive members, of which Tamba Opel Samsumana is the Chairman and Abu Bakarr Kamara, Vice Chairman, and that MrsKumba Momoh’s (Chairman) term of office had lapsed since December 2012.
3. It was duly noted that majority of the members at the meeting were wilfully misinformed, and no opportunities were given to prudent members of the branch to challenge or rebut the false statements. It was a collective mass of junk being fostered to the public.
4. It is incumbent upon us to inform you that the reigning Chair, Mrs Alice Kumba Momoh won the election on 7^th March 2010, and should act in the capacity for 3 years. So her term of office will therefore lapse on 6^th March 2013. The argument propounded by Dr Seray Wurie and Tamba Opel Samsumuna was that the election which took place in March 2010, should have taken place in December 2009, but because modalities were not in place they had to postponed the election to March 2010, thus the effective date of the ‘3 years term’ commenced from December 2009. How could this be possible when the effective date of the ‘three years term’ is the date the election took place in 2010, not December 2009 when the election should have allegedly taken place? It is therefore submitted that Mrs Kumba’s term of office will expire in approximately 2 months. And we still thereforerecognise her as our outgoing Chair person.

The Laws

1. At the time of the meeting when Dr Wurie assumed the office of an interimChairman of the Branch, The Vice Chairman, Mr Makki Shek was present, and he should have been given the absolute right and privilege to Chair the said meeting in the absence of the Chair person as stipulated in our Bye-Laws. Article 3.1(a)(ii) clearly states that “The chairman shall preside at all meetings at which he or she is present. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall so preside, and in the absence of both, the Branch Secretary shall preside or call on those present in good standing to elect one of their numbers to preside at the meeting, subject to the proviso that if the Chairman or Vice Chairman arrives after the Branch Secretary has chosen, or any member has been appointed, to preside in the Chair or Vice Chair’s place, then the Chair or Vice Chair  in the absence of the Chair, may assume if either so wishes, the right to preside at the meeting on the conclusion of the item of business under consideration at the time of the arrival of the chair or the Vice Chair”.
2. In the imminent realisation of the material breach of our Bye-Laws, the Legal Advisor, the Oxford and Reading Region Secretary, The Communication Director, the Financial Secretary, The Vice Chair and one Mr. Munu all rising to a ‘Point of Order’, in accordance with Article 3.1(b)(vi)(iii) of the Bye-Laws, which states that “ any purported breach or question relating to these Bye-Laws may be raised by a member rising to a ‘point of order’. The Chair’s ruling on any point arising from the Bye-Laws is final unless challenged by not less than four members; such a challenge shall be put to the meeting without discussion and shall only be carried with support of two thirds majority of the members present at that meeting in line with the Bye-Laws”. Dr Wurie deliberately ignored the fundamental rights of the aforementioned members. Tamba Opel Samsumana and Dr. Wurie subsequently summoned Police to the meeting for an unfounded allegation of breach of the peace. When the Police attended the scene, they kindly asked the said members to leave the building, which they so did.
3. Furthermore, Tamba Opel Samsumana stated in the meeting that Dr Wurie’s mandate to act as interim Chairman derives from the Bye-Laws, by asserting that Article 4.1(d)(ii) gives the interim Chairman the power to dissolve theexecutive without seeking any consultation or call for an executive meeting.Some members at the meeting were notably amazed and disappointed by the conducts and assertions of the three culprits. It is an acceptable assertion for one to suggest that Mr. Samsumana is well known for committing offences ofthese magnitudes. He is also notable for falsifying information. There is no such provision in the Bye-Laws. He purposely created the provision with a view to deceiving the members at the meeting.
4. It is further evident that Tamba Opel Samsumana has now formed a 60 man executive prior to the forthcoming election. The names of each member were pronounced in the meeting and have all agreed to work in his administration with Dr Wurie being given the title ‘The Ayatollah’ of the Branch. It is alsoevident that certain members of Tamba’s executives have been appointed as electoral commissioners.
5. Our position has been explicitly communicated at the meeting that we will not take part in Tamba Opel Samsumana’s administration, as they are not fit for purpose. We will work in an administration that clearly reflects the will of the people in the spirit of democracy. Power should not be taken by force. It is God’s appointment and must be done in accordance with the letters of the law and the consensual wish of the people. Every member of the branch must accept and abide by the provisions of our instrument, and other lawful rules, regulations, directives and decisions of the Branch and the Constitution of the APC Party.
6. In light of the above, we respectfully submit that all activities of the Branchmust be suspended forthwith in the interest of the Branch and our politicalParty in Sierra Leone, and Tamaba Opel Samsumana (The brother of the Vice President), Dr Seray Wurie and Abu Bakarr Kamara (Bakkadies) be punished severely by the National Executive Council of the All People’s Congress in Sierra Leone for this offence of treason.

In the interim, should there be any queries, please do not hesitate to contact our Chair, Mrs Alice Kumba Momoh who is presently in Sierra Leone. We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely

APC UK & Northern Ireland Branch

CC: The President of Sierra Leone

The SL High Commissioner to UK

The SL Deputy High Commissioner to UK

Undersigned: Sheku Abes Kamara (Legal Advisor), mrs Alice Kumba Momoh (Chair Person) Mrs Kadi Buyah Kamara (Women’s Leader), Makki Shek (Vice Chair), Donald Cole (Communication Director), Mustapha Koroma (Financial Secretary), Mr. Abdul Sam (Oxford & Reading Region Secretary) and Mr. Issa Munu (Member)

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