President Koroma Issues Stern Warning… at National Delegates Conference
By State House Communications Unit: National Stadium, Brookfields, Freetown, May 2nd, 2013/- The Chairman and Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has issued a stern and uncompromising warning to those who are focusing their energies on forming cliques within the APC for the next presidential elections rather than doing the job for which the government had been mandated by the electorate at last year’s November polls. “They will not be tolerated in my government; I will consider them irrelevant to the work of my government and cast them out”, he warned. Please follow link for full speech: http://www.statehouse.gov.sl/index.php/component/content/article/658-address-by-his-excellency-the-president-dr-ernest-bai-koroma-chairman-and-leader-of-the-apc-at-the-national-delegates-conference
President Ernest Bai Koroma
President Koroma further noted in a no-nonsense tone that those who were mobilizing regional, district or tribal sentiments to support whatever cliques they belong to were making themselves not just small in the eyes of the public, but also compromising their claims to national leadership. “Those who rely on regional, district, or tribal interests in party politics will not be winners in national elections; they compromise their claims to national leadership, they promote disunity in the party, and weaken the patriotism of the people. The glorious APC will stand firm against this; I, as President of all the people of this country will not allow this; desist from this habit if you want to be part of my government; desist from this if you want to be relevant to our transformation of the country” said a very determined Chairman and Leader of the APC.
The president issued this warning following his unanimous endorsement by delegates from the four regions of the country, to continue as Leader and Chairman of the All Peoples Congress for the next four years.
The Chief Executive wasted no time to remind cabinet ministers, party stalwarts and power mongers about the nature of the job at hand, which he described as huge, and urged all to remain focused. “Let us continue to act within the law; the work at hand requires greater unity, greater discipline and eternal vigilance. This is definitely not yet the time to fight to succeed Ernest Bai Koroma. We have a whole term of five years ahead of us. This is the time to fight to ensure that the APC succeeds in its programmes, that the APC implements its agenda for prosperity, and that the APC continues to gather strength in all corners of the land. This is the time, comrades, to ensure that those whose hearts are still strong against the APC know that we are a party of success, that this is a party made for victory, that we shall win every free and fair election in this land again and again and again”, he said amidst rapturous applause and conspicuous ecstasy.
President Koroma further highlighted the achievements made so far by his administration and announced the liberation of Yenga from Guinea, saying Sierra Leone, under the leadership of the APC, is moving forward.
“We must continue to attract direct foreign investment amidst the encouraging prospects of oil exploration”, he noted. The APC Leader and Chairman therefore encouraged all to continue to work as a party; while adding that, “we must meet our political realities even though there are still challenges. But the APC is not afraid of challenges”, he confidently maintained.
He called on all to remember that the APC was founded on the platform to work for and in the interest of the common man and woman, and that its members are always willing to sit and eat with the common people, as it is a tradition that the party will continue to hold fast onto as it helps to unite both old and new members.
The Chairman and Leader of the APC also observed that the party has increased its support base everywhere across the country, and will continue to increase its membership in the House of Parliament and the local councils, because, as he aptly noted, every inch of Sierra Leonean territory is APC’s stronghold. He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to continue to uphold democracy and will never attempt to come to power through the backdoor.
President Koroma therefore called on opposition parties to emulate the bright examples of the APC if they want to govern the country.
