May 9, 2016 By Patrick Jaiah Kamara
Alhaji Muctaru Williams, commissioner of the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC), has asserted that the national delegates’ conference of the Alliance Democratic Party (ADP), held last Friday at the Miatta Conference Centre, was “transparent, credible, free and fair.”
Commissioner Williams reiterated that the mandate of the PPRC was to register, supervise and monitor the affairs and conduct of political parties, adding that the commission has been following the ADP’s activities since its founding in July 2015.
He added that the commission also has the mandate to disqualify any political party that is in breach of the PPRC Act of 2002.
The PPRC commissioner expressed concern over the legal status of the executive of the party, thus admonishing members to stop hiring thugs to attack their own party office.
Addressing the issue one of the aspirants for the leadership of the party, David Gbla, who staged a walkout on allegations that the process was not fair, commissioner Williams noted with dismay that the controversial ADP member have waited until the conclusion of the process before raising his objections.
“You don’t just walkout of an election at the middle of the process, you have to wait on to the conclusion and later raise your objections, if any,” the commissioner said, adding that the process was in accordance with the spirit of the party’s constitution.
Gbla was removed from the party some eight months ago for anti party activities but contended that the decision was ‘illegitimate’. After several confrontations between his supporters and those of party leader and chairman, Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray, the PPRC succeeded in settling the dispute, and he was allowed at the eleventh hour to contest the leadership of the party.
However, he controversially walked out of the hall on the grounds that he felt intimidated and that the election should not be an open ballot, although he had previously agreed to an open ballot election because his face was not printed on the ballot papers.
A video footage was played in the hall by Mr. Mansaray, which seems to show that the two contestants – Mansaray and Gbla – had mutually agreed to an open ballot.
By the conclusion of the process, Mr. Mansaray was re-elected as chairman, leader and flagbearer for the 2018 elections, with Ibrahim Suma as his deputy, while Madam Isata Abdulai Kamara went unopposed as the party’s Secretary General and Sheku Bangura as her deputy.
National Treasurer is Juliet G.R. Kanu, Saidu Kalokoh is the Financial Secretary, Bami Thomas will serve as Organising Secretary.
In a shot statement, Mr. Mansaray said the people believe in his vision and leadership, adding that his party would win the 2018 general presidential election, citing their performance in the parliamentary bye-election in Bombali district, where he came close second to the ruling party candidate.