By Mustapha Kamara Jnr
An aspiring flag bearer of the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP), Franklin Rogers, has called for reconciliation over issues centered on the sacking of Chief Samuel Sam-Sumana as the country’s Vice President.
Sam-Sumana was sacked by President Ernest Bai Koroma as VP last month, following his expulsion from the ruling All Peoples’ Congress party. Victor Bockarie Foh was subsequently appointed and sworn-in into the office of the Vice President by the President.
Sam-Sumana had hence turned to the judiciary, as a last resort, to contest the constitutionality of his sacking.
Addressing journalists yesterday at the SLPP’s headquarters in Freetown, Franklin Rogers pointed out that all parties in the matter should endeavor to come together and amicably settle the ongoing constitutional issues.
“As a politician I believe in non violence because there is more to achieve when we sit peacefully and reconcile issues than to use violence,” Rogers said.
He said his recommendation was to prevent a re-occurrence of the 11 years civil war that the country suffered not too long ago which destroyed the socio-economic and political development of Sierra Leone.
“As a nation, hundreds of our fellow citizens died and I believe we all suffered during the war a pain which we want to put behind us,” the SLPP official said.
The aspiring flag bearer also condemned all forms of protests and demonstrations by any political party members and the entire citizenry as a way of solving the ongoing constitutional crisis. He cautioned the public to allow the due process of the law to solve the matter peacefully.
“Posterity will judge anybody who may want to use the current constitutional crisis to incite and ferment another violent crisis that may lead to the loss of lives of innocent Sierra Leoneans,” Rogers said and revealed that the SLPP was preparing to submit a legal complaint to the judiciary of Sierra Leone on the ongoing constitutional crisis.
However, about 300 members of the opposition’s youth league staged a peaceful demonstration at the United States Embassy in Freetown last week.
Dwight Sheriff, leader of the SLPP student union told Politico that they were protesting to inform America and the wider world that they were not satisfied about recent actions taken by President Koroma, especially the one that had to do with the sacking of Sam-Sumana as VP.
As a member of the opposition party, Sheriff said he believed President Koroma’s appointment of Victor Foh as Vice President was a total violation of the country’s 1991 constitution.
“As grassroots members of the SLPP therefore, we will continue to resist and protest until a constitutional order is restored in Sierra Leone.”
© Politico 22/04/15
