By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Sidi Yaya Tunis, they are ready to participate in dialogue to be brokered by International partners.
He told Politico in an interview on Wednesday that they have made their dialogue commitment to the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC). He said that they have also got authorization from the party’s National Advisory Committee (NAC) and National Executive Committee to proceed with the process.
“So yes we are ready to engage with those International partners mentioned,” he said.
He expressed the hope that they would reach a consensus during the dialogue that would be acceptable to everybody and forge ahead as a nation.
After failing to participate in governance due to the outcome of the June 24 general elections, the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) has contacted the Commonwealth, African Union, and ECOWAS to dialogue and mediate with the APC and the government and they have expressed their willingness to come.
Peace Commission Executive Secretary, Hawa Sally Samai on Tuesday had explained to Journalists at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s weekly press briefing in Freetown about efforts being made to end the political impasse.
She said two weeks ago the commission took a message of concern from the APC to President Julius Maada Bio, which also manifested their readiness to dialogue with the President, bridge the gap, and work for the interest of the country. She said one of the concerns put forward by the APC is that they want international bodies together with the Peace Commission to mediate between them and the government.
She said the President in his response expressed willingness for International partners to come and mediate, which led them to immediately contact the Commonwealth, African Union, and ECOWAS to facilitate the mediation.
Samai noted that before the elections, they had been engaging all political parties involved to ensure that everyone enjoyed a peaceful election, though there was an issue between the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) and the APC. She said the commission realized that after the elections the opposition APC opted not to participate in governance, citing elections irregularities.
She said in one of the meetings held with the APC party, they stated that they do not have any issue with the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) or with President Bio, but they only have issues with the government of Sierra Leone, so they want to dialogue with the government and not with the SLPP.
The ICPNC scribe stated that they have been telling the SLPP to maintain peace messages as winners, and they have complied. She added that they equally engaged the APC, starting with individual engagements due to the fact that they were not happy with the outcome of the elections. She said they agreed to come on board.
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