By Abubakarr Bah
Leader of Sierra Leone's United Democratic Movement (UDM), Mohamed Bangura, did not show up yesterday for a closed-door meeting summoned by the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) which is looking into allegations of “dictatorship” and “misuse of party resources”.
Bangura was represented instead by his running-mate in the 2012 election, Dennis Saidu.
The aggrieved party executive dismissed Saidu's attendance on the ground he was not the person being investigated over claims of financial impropriety, “constitutional breaches such as non-payment of remuneration to staff at the secretariat, regional administrative officials, refusal to hold national executive council meetings, issuing of scholarships to non-party members and lack of probity.”
In a letter dated 3 December 2012 and signed by the party’s National Secretary General, Sulaiman Bai Sesay, his deputy Halima Lucy Deen, Publicity Secretary Editayo George-Temple and National Campaign Coordinator Alex B.M. Kai Kai, the general membership “request for a comprehensive report on the income and expenditure from the chairman and leader of the party on account of his stewardship.”
When contacted on the outcome of the meeting, the former UDM vice presidential candidate refused to comment, saying “we have been advised by the PPRC not to say anything to the press”.
Meanwhile, the executive members have called on their former presidential candidate to resign from the party, accusing him of “dictatorship and monopoly”.
They alleged that the UDM leader also made his wife a signatory to the party’s financial account.
Bangura has dismissed the claims as “rubbish”. He said he was not accountable to any of the aggrieved members of executive.
“They are not representing the views of the general membership,” he had told Politico.
The PPRC would not comment on what they make of the fact that Bangura chose to send someone in his stead.
(C) Politico 13/12/12
