By Sallieu S. Kanu
President Dr Julius Maada Bio and leader of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) on Friday, April 28,2023, welcomed a powerful opposition politician who publicly resigned today from the All People’s Congress (APC) to continue serving as Resident Minister, Northwestern Region.
The President noted that “In continuing with our commitment towards opening up the space for other broad-minded nationalists to join the mighty Sierra Leone People’s Party, SLPP, today, I welcomed Alhaji Alpha Bakarr Sahid Kanu aka Alpha Khan, to our Mighty Party.
“A detribalised and distinguished political leader, with over 40 years of active engagement in party politics, he comes with an enormous wealth of experience to enrich our Party’s desire to promote meaningful change for our beloved country,” president Bio said.
President Bio also reiterated that the SLPP, is the only authentic political party for every Sierra Leonean, adding that they were open to welcoming all progressive-minded Sierra Leoneans who are committed to joining their national transformation agenda.
At the well-attended event in the home district of Mr Kanu, the President assured: “Ours is leadership driven by passion, love and fidelity to the nation, devoid of political rhetoric. We, therefore, welcome all progressive Sierra Leoneans committed to nation-building to join hands with us in moving the country forward. The Future of Sierra Leone is all of us!”
In his resignation letter to the APC, Alpha Kanu cited, among other things, the “persistent unpleasant prevailing circumstances surrounding my continued membership of the All Peoples Congress” as the reason for his departure.
He also stated that his focus was to help move Sierra Leone forward in the area of political and socio-economic development for the benefit of its people, an aspiration that he believed was unlikely to be fulfilled if he were to continue his membership with the APC.
Alpha Kanu was a sympathiser of the APC since 1962, a supporter since 1967, and an active member since 1991. He also served the former government as Minister of Information and Communications, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources and Minister of Presidential and Public Affairs between 2007 and 2018.