By BampiaJames Bundu
Ambassador Alie Bangura, a one time Minister of Trade under the SLPP (Sierra Leone Peoples Party) lead government, who also served as High Commissioner in Ghana, may be facing the greatest challenging to his political career. According to reports, he is on the verge of being expelled from the party he sought to head in 2013.
Ambassador Bangura, according to sources, may face serious disciplinary actions which could possibly lead to his expulsion from the party for allegedly violating its constitution.
Some sources even indicate the decision to expel him has already been taken, and that it`s only waiting for official announcement.
It could be recalled that during the 2013 SLPP delegate convention in Bo, Chief Sumano Kappen and Ambassador Bangura contested for the leadership position of the party. But Chief Kappen won it. Bangura`s supporters contested the result which led to a mass walkout of the conference hall.
Since then the division within the SLPP have only worsened, to the extent that Bangura filled for an injunction at the Supreme Court in order to restrain the current national executive from carrying out its duties, and for the eventual nullification of the outcome of the convention.
The Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) has even engaged the executive of the SLPP, and Alie Bangura with other aggrieved persons in order to resolve the impasse quietly. But all efforts by the commission proved fruitless as the matter ended up at the Supreme Court for interpretation.
According to a senior member of the SLPP national executive, who spoke to Politico on condition of anonymity, the party`s executive had met on the issue and discussed it extensively, and that they were planning to take a decision to expel Mr. Bangura from the party.
When asked as to the reason for the expulsion, the source said Bangura stands accused of violating the party`s constitution which, he noted, states: “Any member who tries to bring the name of the party to ridicule and disrepute would be expelled”.
By late Wednesday, there was still no official reason as to why the SLPP would want to expel Ambassador Bangura.
The man himself denied the allegations raised by our source, stating: “I have not received a letter to that effect up to now, and if anybody want to locate me, I am always at my office.”
Bangura told Politico that he had himself heard rumors of his expulsion from different quarters but he insisted he would continue to wait and know the truth.
Ambassador Bangura said he still had a case at the Supreme Court against the SLPP executive and that he would continue to wait for its outcome.
“if I receive a letter today from the party notifying me of my expulsion, I will forward the letter to my lawyers for their advice. We are living in a civilized world, wherein people should seek redress following g the due process of the law,” he said.
© Politico 23/04/15
