In Sierra Leone: APC MPs Blast ‘Illegal SLPP MPs’
The main opposition, All Peoples Congress [APC] has described the newly sworn Members of Parliament belonging to the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party [SLPP] as strangers in the House of Parliament.
Last Wednesday, the well of Parliament came to a standstill when the APC MPs objected to an agenda item, the swearing in of nine SLPP MPs on Friday 31st May, this year.
The objection motion was led by Honorable Lahai Marrah of Constituency 042, argued that Section 146 of the Public Elections Act of 2019 was not followed by Parliament. Honorable Marrah noted that the Clerk of Parliament did not quote any relevant section of the constitution or the standing orders of Parliament. ‘’The nine new SLPP MPs should not be with us’’, he stressed.
Honorable Hassan Sesay, APC Whip in Parliament noted that the nine seats which have been occupied by the SLPP MPs should have left vacant after the High Court rulings to adhere to section 146 (1) of the Public Elections Act. He said the APC has filed their appeals to the recent ruling by the high court. ‘’It would have been nice if Parliament waited until the completion of the appeals process in the court of appeal before allowing the seats of our colleagues to be filled’’, said Honorable Sesay and noted that the rush to swear in the SLPP MPs is unconstitutional.
In his statement, the Clerk of Parliament, Paran Tarawallie intimated that Parliament has not yet received any certificate of notice from the court of appeals for the appeal file by the APC partry.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Honorable Dr. Abass Bundu cautioned the APC MPs that they should not discuss any matter that is before the court. He advised the APC MPs to proceed with their appeal but Parliament would not discuss the matter any longer.
Honorable Daniel Koroma maintained that they as APC MPs never recognized the new SLPP MPs because their swearing in ceremony was done in a rush manner by Parliament.
Honorable Abdul Kargbo stressed that the APC MPs would not corporate in the proceedings of Wednesday sittings because according to him, the SLPP nine MPs did not go through the right procedure to enter Parliament.
By Amira Tatayea Bangura
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