By Alpha Daramy Sesay
Director of communication, Society for Democratic Initiatives and Development, Saa Mathias Bendu, has criticised the ruling All People's Congress (APC) and the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) for refusing to participate in public debates ahead of next week's elections.
He said both Ernest Bai Koroma and Julius Maada Bio, had no solid reasons for evading the public debates.
“By that action, they have failed the people they aspire to represent,” he told Politico and described the decision of both candidates as “unfortunate”. He said that as candidates who wanted to assume the highest office of the nation, they must always be ready to tell voters their plans if elected into office.
“When leaders refuse to accept each other on the political divide, it speaks much louder on whatever thing they have been saying about tolerance,” he said, adding that “whatever the reason they are refusing to talk to each other, they are sending a message to their supporters to be intolerant to their opponents.”
He observed that intolerance had led to the rampant vandalism to party posters and in some instances resulted in fist-fighting among party supporters.
He blamed advisers and campaign committees of APC and SLPP, saying that they preferred rallies to engaging in civilised debates.
Secretaries-general of both parties refused to comment when contacted by Politico.
(c) Politico 08/11/12
