…Bio urges President Koroma to sign electoral calendar
December 20, 2016 By Mohamed Massaquoi
The flag bearer aspirant for the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), Retired Brigadier Maada Bio, has noted that he was very much concerned that President Ernest Bai Koroma has not announced the date for the 2018 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Bio was addressing supporters on Sunday at the party’s headquarters, where he launched his campaign materials ahead of the Kenema delegates’ conference slated for February, 2017.
“I am appealing to the international community and President Ernest Bai Koroma to make sure that the forthcoming election is not postponed and that the timetable of the electoral calendar is signed by him,” he said.
Commenting on the suspension of the Chairman and Leader of the Party, Chief Sumano Kapen, he said it was significant that everybody was brought onboard to collectively win the forthcoming 2018 general elections.
He added that everybody matters according to the political arrangement of the party but however noted that no single individual should hold the party to ransom for his or her selfish gains.
“I have gone around this country and I have seen the love and confidence people have in me. I want to assure you all that we will police ourselves during our delegates’ conference in Kenema.In the past elections, we saw a battalion of police officers at the Bo delegates’ conference but that would not be the case in Kenema. It is my responsibility to keep the party together and that is why I am asking all of you to be peaceful and be respectful. Encourage your opponents to come and join us in the fight,” he said.
The occasion was also used as a platform to raise funds for the candidature fees of Retired Brigadier Maada Bio, and over two hundred millions Leones was donated by supporters, who turned out in their numbers to showcase their unflinching support for the gentleman.
Chairperson of the Julius Maada Bio Women’s Campaign Wing (JMB), Madam Fatima Bio, said they started the movement in the UK, where groups of supporters came together in the interest of promoting his candidature.
She said based on the outcome of the meeting, she was happy that her husband got a lot of support from among party members and that she was assured of becoming the next first Lady of the country.
“We have JMB not only in Sierra Leone but all over the world. I am very happy with the support Bio has been given to us and I want everybody to come and join us in the interest of our party. The launch of the campaign materials today is a start of the entire process ahead of the delegates’ conference. I want to thank all those who have worked hard in promoting the JMB women,” she said.
Hon. Dixon Rogers of Constituency 089, Pujehun District, said they collaborated with the Julius Maada Bio Women’s Wing to raise funds for their candidate as it was unanimously agreed by NEC that aspirants for the leadership of SLPP flag –bearer position should pay the sum of one hundred and twenty million Leones as candidature fee.
“We are here to launch our campaign materials but to also raise funds for the payment of candidature fees for our leader and president waiting, Julius Maada Bio. We are asking all here today and those outside this building to donate or pledge money for this purpose because we believe in the leadership of Bio and we are sure that he would be the next president of Sierra Leone,” he said.