By Alhaji Haruna Sani
Alimamy Petitio Koroma, one of the leading aspirants for the flagbearer position of the All People’s Congress (APC) Party has clarified that ‘Big Six’ is not a faction within the APC as alleged by many party supporters.
He said the ‘Big Six’ is group of flag bearer aspirants with the common goal of becoming flag bearers of the APC, and at the same time willing to openly discuss issues build on friendship and support the party in the way they can.
Petito was speaking during an interview on ‘Gud Morning Salone’ on Radio Democracy 98.1 FM, held on Wednesday January 11.
“Big six started as a group of three members, later six and now ten people,” Petito said. He continued that the Big Six came about as a call from the leadership of the party after it lost the 2018 elections.
Ambassador Koroma said grassroots supporters of the party including the Leader and Chairman of the party had opted for such group after the party lost the 2023 elections, adding that the former Secretary General, Ambassador Yansaneh, was the one that coined the name “Big Six”.
He said after the 2018 general elections, there were a lot of court cases which he believes the party should learn its lessons from, although the court cases have left the party in a shattered manner.
Alimamy Petito Koroma was Secretary General for the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone (CCSL) before enrolling into active politics in 2007. He was appointed by former President Koroma as the Minister of Trade and Industry, Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure, Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and Special Adviser to the President.
Koroma later resigned his ambassadorial position and opted for the Presidential aspirant under the ticket of the All People’s Congress Party in 2018, but didn’t succeed.
Speaking on the state of affairs of the nation, Koroma said the country needs visionary and obliged leadership with integrity and action that can deliver positive result for the people, adding that if given the opportunity he will do just that.
He said the APC is going through some difficult moment, with high level of dissatisfaction due to some events that have unfolded in the party.
“I don’t necessarily oppose to selection when done through consultation,” he stated. He charged that the manner in which the party conducted its lower levels, Constituencies, District and Regional elections and the outcome of the 2017 party conventions, created the urge for reforms in the party.
Koroma clarified that himself and his boss, former President Koroma, are still enjoying good relationship.
He said there are quite a number of things President Bio would have done differently, lamenting the excessive use of force by the police, number of killings and the aspect of being accountable to the people.
He cited the Pandema Road Prison massacre, Makeni killing and the Auditor General’s (Lara Taylor Pierce) sacking as some of the several bad examples of the current administration.
Ambassador Petito denied all allegations around him concerning his relationship with President Bio and the way and manner he ignored the party activities after he lost his bid for the Presidential aspirant under the APC ticket.
He told the public he actively campaigned in Kambia and Freetown for Dr.Samura Kamara during the 2018 elections, using his personal resources.
