March 15, 2018 By Mohamed Massaquoi
Bio addressed his supporters at Unity House yesterday
Presidential candidate for the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, has called on political party leaders of the National Grand Coalition NGC, Coalition for Change (C4C) and others to form an alliance against what he referred to as the ‘oppressive administration’ of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC), adding that it was time for opposition parties to address the will of the people by voting the APC out.
Bio, who won the first round of the presidential election, said SLPP grassroots members have always supported his ambitions to lead the country and to provide quality leadership for the people of Sierra Leone, adding that the presidential race between him and Dr. Samura Kamara of the APC would be a simple work over.
“The strongest part of the party is the grassroots. I want to use this opportunity to thank you for your efforts and commitment in putting my presidency to the fore. We have gone into run-off with the APC and fortunately for us, the APC candidate Dr. Samura Kamara has accepted that his party has miserably performed in providing basic amenities for the people,’’ he told his jubilant supporters.
He noted that Dr. Samura Kamara has served in successive administrations in various capacities for the past thirty years and that under his leadership a lot of things have gone wrong.
‘‘We should be more determined than ever before. I want to address the government, international community, civil society and the media that our supporters in Port Loko, Bombali and other parts of the country are put under serious pressure.
‘’My supporters have been harassed, intimidated and even force to flee their homes by members of the APC. The APC cannot win a credible election as they have now embarked on their 99 tactics to rig the elections,” he said, adding that SLPP deployed polling agents across the country but some were chased away by APC thugs on polling day.
“I am calling on opposition parties to collectively come onboard and fight an APC oppressive administration. We know how we went into the presidential run-off. The APC know that they have lost the election. We want to liberate our people and the future generations. Our youth population, women and children are suffering a lot. I am pleading to the leadership of all opposition parties to ensure that the APC is removed from power through the ballot box,” he said.