By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema
A senior member of the opposition SLPP has called on their former chairman and leader, John Oponjo Benjamin, to put their differences aside and support Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio’s leadership for 2017 elections. Bio led the party to the 2012 elections and lost to the current government of Ernest Bai Koroma.
While also endearing the former National Revenue Authority boss, Dr. John Karimu, the party chairman for constituency 007 in Segbwema and former Member of Parliament, Alhaji Mohamed Kallon, told party supporters at the opening of their party office in the eastern provincial township that the former presidential candidate “already has the required support to win the 2017 elections”.
He said:“about 98% of supporters in Segbwema are for Bio and that if JOB and Dr. Karimu have love for their people they should go by their wishes and support Bio”, adding that both beneficiaries of the party’s ten year rule should be grateful for what they had acquired.
“Benjamin was minister of finance in government and leader of the party while Dr. Karimu headed the NRA,” he cited and accused the former of trying to frustrate their effortsby going to the police to stop the opening of their party office.
He called on Robin Fallay, a former party MP who left and joined the governing All Peoples Congress, to stop a third term propaganda that could be a recipe for a clash in the country.
“The SLPP ended the war in this country and will want to ensure that it is maintained so that every Sierra Leonean will continue to live happily”, he said, adding that JOB was among those who had declared their intentions to run for the leadership of the SLPP ahead of 2017.
When contacted by Politico JOB said Kallon and others were party executives and should not be seen campaigning for one candidate.
“They should work in the interest of the party. My interest is a party for all and not like the APC which believes in exclusion,” he said and dismissed allegations that his going to the police station was an attempt to stop the meeting at the opening of the Segbwema party office.
(C) Politico 27/05/14
