By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
A National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the National Grand Coalition ,(NGC) party, held at the party’s headquarter at Naimbana Street in Freetown on the 8th March, 2024 ended in chaos as police had to disperse some opposing members.
A press release issued by the Sierra Leone Police noted that it received a letter from the NGC alluding to hold their quarterly NEC meeting at their party headquarters to “decide on very crucial issue that may lead to divided opinions and tension among the party members.”
The NGC letter according to the police further stated that they had received information that certain Party members were planning to disrupt the meeting by using violence,for which they requested the assistance of the police for security through a letter.
According to the police, the meeting convened at the venue as planned, but as it progressed, physical and verbal confrontation ensued which turned out to be “disorderly and riotous” which prompted the police to intervene peacefully dispersing the opposing party with no arrests made.
A short notice addressed to NGC members from the chairman of the party, Jesmed F Suma had earlier indicated that a former member of the party based in UK& Ireland, Mohamed Koroma had retained a lawyer to cancel the NEC meeting, saying it was unconstitutional.
Politico read a letter dated 30th May, 2023 purporting to be Koroma’s , which this medium is yet to confirm, stating his resignation from the NGC, as he wanted to concentrate on his family of which the party equally acknowledged receipt of and accepted his resignation on the 2nd June of the same year.
A letter written by Koroma’s lawyer to the party’s Secretary General dated 6th March, 2024 cautioned the NGC to desist from withdrawing from the Alliance formed between the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the NGC during the multi-tier elections in the country.
It stated that the NEC meeting summoned was unconstitutional and that such decision should only be taken at the party’s Delegates Conference. The letter warned the party to desist from plans to withdraw from the Alliance with the SLPP without following due process, warning of instituting civil proceedings in the High Court against the party and the key leaders if they went ahead.
The Deputy Secretary General of the NGC, Alhaji K Tarawalli in a circulated social media audio expressed frustration over the Alliance formed with the SLPP. He said that the Alliance stated it very clear that the NGC members would have government ministerial, Ambassadorial and Parastatal positions, which he said were not forth coming.
He noted that the SLPP does not recognize that they are in an alliance as they had never mentioned the NGC in any of their public statements.
However, a letter written by the Political Parties Regulation Commission addressed to the NGC this year recalled that following the party’s conduct of its lower level elections, the commission was in receipt of petitions , for which the party pleaded to allow the leadership to discuss with the petitioners.
The commission said it had been informed through a letter from the party on the 29th March, 2023 that the petitioners agreed to withdraw the matter from the PPRC but a National Delegates’ Conference be held within three months after the Presidential and General Elections to fill in the vacant positions in the party.
Prior to the June 2023 General Elections NGC went into an alliance with the SLPP with the latter winning the Presidential Elections, and also securing majority seats in Parliament under the Proportional Representation system of voting.
The PPRC ended its letter reminding the NGC to adhere to the content of the letter they wrote on the 29th March and to inform the Commission on its implementation.
The party has convened a press conference to be held at its headquarters today Monday to update the press on the outcome of the meeting.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (11/03/24)
