Hundreds of Members of the All People’s Congress (APC) in Koinadugu District have left the party and defected to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
On Tuesday 16th May 2023, defected members led by Karifa Kargbo alias Hon. Kelly handed themselves over to Brigadier Rtd. Kelly Conteh, the Minister of Defence at his residence in Kabala.
Kelly on behalf of his team informed the Minister that their defections to the SLPP were born out of the fact that, APC is not a democratic party and has no better plan for the people of Sierra Leone. He said since 2012, he had suffered a lot at the hands of the APC party.
“I have spent my resources to support the party since 2012. As a grassroots politician that has the support of my people, I have helped promote the party in the party district” Nothing that, he had always been betrayed by the party leadership.
Kelly, informed, the Minister that he had contested for the APC symbol for Parliamentary three times as the popular choice of the party but he had always been denied because of the party selection process and their Team A philosophy adding that the APC hate the Kuranko tribe the more reason they have been denying Dr Kaifala Marah of the leadership of the party.
“Sir, am here with my supporters to handover ourselves to you as our elder brother in Koinadugu and Falaba District and to the SLPP and I ask of you to receive us with open hands as we are here to join the SLPP for life”; he told the Minister.
‘Am here to hand over myself, to you as my Dad and I want you to adopt me as your son and to show me the way to SLP P”.
I have realised that the Kuranko tribe love the APC but the APC doesn’t love the Kuranko adding that Kurankos have a great future in the SLPP than APC.
He asked the Minister and the SLPP party to appoint him as the party campaign manager for the coming elections to deliver the district for the SLPP.
In response, Minister of Defence Brigadier Rtd. Kelly Conteh on behalf of HE Dr Julius Maada Bio and the entire leadership of the party welcomes Kelly and his team to the SLPP.
He said that joining the SLPP is the best decision that has been made as the party is a family and democratic with a philosophy of one country and one people.
He revealed that, as someone that have studied the politics of the country for a very long period, the SLPP is more developmental than the APC.
SLPP establish all the democratic institutions in the country with an improved governance structure and has made a lot of gains in health care delivery, education, security, rule of law, and infrastructural development among others.
He said it was high time for the Kursnko to come on board to join the SLPP as they had more opportunities in the SLPP than in APC stressing that the benefits of Kuranko are in the hands of the SLPP.
He revealed that he had been in the security sector throughout and had contributed a lot to the development of the country but chose to come into politics to make a difference in the life of his people.
He said Kuranko have suffered a lot at the hands of APC’s bad politics but has the opportunity to change the narrative by joining the SLPP as the party is best in governance and management of the national resource.
He called on the young people of Koinadugu and Falaba District to take ownership of the party pointing out that it is only the SLPP that will improve their lives.
“Let us value ourselves by voting for the SLPP as it is not an ungrateful party”.
HE, the President has so much confidence in Koinadugu and Falaba District and we have to translate that into votes, he advised.