By Mustapha Sesay
Ahead of the national delegates’ conference scheduled for this weekend, supporters of the outgoing Deputy Chairman of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party, Chief Sebora Samanoh Kapen have unveiled him as their candidate for leadership of party. Addressing the huge crowd of supporters at the party headquarters in Freetown, Chief Samanoh said that in the history of the party this would be the first that a Temne would head the predominantly southeastern party. Code-named “the straight line” the chief urged party members to be patient with one another as “this is the only way the party can regain power come 2017”. He pointed out that the party was in “a big mess” and if not careful in electing the leader “the party will be doomed.” Chief Kapen said that if elected as leader, his first priority would be to establish a database for the party which will account for all its members, noting that “as of now there is no correct information on the membership making it very difficult to plan for the party”. He alleged that the party lacked accountability and transparency which he said was reason the party was “financially challenge.” Former secretary general of the party, Dr. Prince Harding was also unveiled as candidate for Vice Chairman. The former mines minister said that many of those who should be neutral elders of the party had already taken sides describing it as “a bad decision that has helped bring disunity within the party”. He called on all party members to stop criticizing colleagues “unnecessarily” and urged them to “learn to criticise responsibly as in an election there will always be winners and losers”. He called on the governing APC party and the president “not to negatively meddle” in the affairs of the SLPP. Endorsement of the candidature of Chief Kapen by delegates formed the highlight of the ceremony. He is running against former ambassador to Ghana, Allie Essa Bangura, while the former Mayor of Bo Dr Wusu Sannoh is challenging Dr Prince Harding. (C) Politico 13/08/13
