By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Sierra Leone’s main opposition political party, the All People’s Congress continues its intra-party battle in court today before High Court Judge, Justice Adrian Fisher.
Diaspora member of the APC, Alfred Peter Conteh sued big wigs of the party including former President Ernest Bai Koroma, Secretary- General Alhaji Osman Foday Yansaneh, the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) and the party itself. Conteh in his originating notice of motion believes that the party was undemocratic.
Justice Fisher, after several sittings on the matter, ruled that the party host a convention to adopt a new constitution and further gave directives on the composition of the delegates.
On the 19th October this year, in the first sitting after the Makeni Convention, another member of the party and former minister in the then APC administration, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden filed a notice to be included in the matter.
Dr. Blyden’s application was that she be added plaintiff in the matter. She argued that the importance of the application is to unearth facts that she only has access to.
On the following day 20th October, Dr. Blyden argued in court that the party failed to adhere to the directives issued by the court. She said most of the delegates that went to Makeni to adopt the new constitution of the party were handpicked.
She pointed out that APC misled the court, insisting that instead of the 665 delegates that were supposed to attend the said conference 1,400 went to Makeni. She alleged that majority of the delegates were handpicked by former President Koroma who is also Chairman and Leader of the party.
She argued that the claims made in her affidavit were neither scandalous nor irrelevant as pointed out by lawyer representing Koroma.
Counsel representing Conteh, Jesse Jengo, opposed the alliance envisaged by Dr. Blyden. His argument was hinged on the progress of the matter if the former minister was made an added party.
Lawyer Jengo said that the matter is already at a concluding stage and Dr. Blyden if made an added party will slow the pace of the matter.
Justice Fisher will sit on the matter this Monday 8 November 2021 to rule whether Dr. Blyden’s application will be accepted or not.
Copyright © Politico Online (08/11/21)
