October 21, 2015
The four political parties that will be contesting the by-elections in Constituency 107 and Ward 329 in the Western Area have assured the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) that they will be contesting the elections in accordance with the Political Parties Act of 2002, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties, and all laws governing the conduct of elections in the country.
The assurances were made by Deputy National Chairman and Leader of the ruling APC, Minkailu Mansaray, the National Chairman and Leader of the SLPP, Chief Somanoh Kapen, representative of the Chairman and Leader of the ADP, Mrs. Isata Kamara Abdulai, and the Administrative Secretary of the PMDC, Robert Wulleh, during a meeting held with political party leaders and candidates contesting the elections at the PPRC headquarters in Freetown yesterday (Tuesday 20th October).
Addressing the party leaders and their candidates, the PPRC Chairman, Justice M.E. Tolla Thompson, said “election is not a contest of fist but a contest of ideas, opinion and ideologies”. He admonished them to contest the elections with the focus of promoting democracy and should not use the event to ignite conflict.
Justice Thompson further encouraged the parties to be tolerant and to participate in the elections peacefully as Sierra Leone has made significant strides in conducting peaceful and violence free elections, and that the parties should maintain that momentum.
Reminding the party leaders and their candidates about the Code of Conduct for Political Parties, a PPRC Commissioner, Alhaji Muctarr B. Williams, said even political parties that were not signatories to the Code should adhere to its provisions.
“The Code of Conduct for Political Parties was established to ensure peaceful co-existence between and among political parties in Sierra Leone,” he said and highlighted the main provisions in the document signed in 2006.