By Alfred Koroma
President Bio has called on the main opposition, All Peoples Congress (APC) to work with his government and encouraged elected members of the Party to take their offices.
Political tensions remain stagnant between the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) led by the President, and the main opposition Party following the outcome of a widely disputed multi-tier elections in June which the latter staunchly rejected.
The opposition, APC accused the Electoral Commission of rigging the election to give President Bio and SLPP a second term, an accusation that appears to have been backed by national and international observation missions accredited to observe the country’s election.
As a result, APC declared its non-participation in all level of governance, including the legislature and local councils until the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Konneh resigns and a fresh election conducted, plunging the Bio-led Government under pressure from international communities unfriendly to single Party governance.
But it is not clear whether the government will heed to the striking demands of the main opposition Party, or the Party will accept other offer from the government to settle the electoral grievances. High level dialogues are ongoing.
After a recent meeting with the Common Wealth delegation, Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, President Bio in what appeared to be a reconciliatory text posted on Twitter, assured the stakeholders his commitment to work with the main opposition Party.
“I’ve reassured the mediating parties, including @ecowas_cedeao that my Government is open to working with all Sierra Leoneans, including the Opposition Party, APC,” the President wrote on his Twitter or X Page. “We believe that though we may have chosen different paths, our collective interest is the peace and progress of our country.”
“As we continue to pursue a common ground for the advancement of our country, I invite the APC to work with us in strengthening our democratic State Institutions, he added, encouraging the Party’s elected officials to seize the boycott of governance and take their elected seats and the responsibilities attached.
He also called on the opposition to participate in the broader governance improvements of state institutions and the review of all Election Management Bodies and subsequent implementation of recommendations from the review.
