The National Reformation Movement (NRM) has on Monday September 7, 2020 called on the leadership of the All People Congress (APC) party to cooperate in efforts to resolve constitutional issues which form the centre of the movement’s efforts to achieve reforms within the APC.
In a media conference held at SLAJ office on Campbell Street in Freetown, the Secretary General of NRM, Osman Bikal Kamara explained that, on July 1 2020, the leadership of NRM met with the leadership of the APC at the party headquarters, both parties committed to work for a negotiated settlement of their differences, and to observe an undertaking which forbids disclosure to the public of any information on the progress of the negotiation.
He furthered that, in the early July of 2020, they submitted three copies of their negotiating document to the facilitator for onward submission to the Party’s Chairman, Deputy Leader and Secretary General, adding since the documents had been submitted the process seemed to have stalled.
“As a result of the stalemate, and the party leadership’s violation of rules that forbade public disclosure of information, inter alia, that is why we have decided to bring the issue to the public. It is becoming increasingly clear to us that, the party leadership does not have the political will to resolve this matter on the table,” Kamara commented.
The Public Relation Officer of NRM, Abdul Richard Mansaray, said the NRM is fully committed to the ALL People Congress, adding that as a movement they want to ensure that all the supporters of the APC actualize their potentials irrespective of their tribes and regions of origin.
He added that as the essence of the movement is to reform the party constitution, and stop its perpetual abuse. On behalf of the movement he asked the leadership of the All Peoples Congress Party to do away with “selection” and adopt elective principle as a method of choosing runners for political offices in the party. The PRO explained that the current chairman of the APC has served in for 25 years, which almost amounts six terms in office.
He said that, the Chairman, Secretary General, and the Treasurer of the party are all in their positions by selection not election. He said that they illegally constitute themselves as executive members of the party, and they at the NRM want to condemn the selection process because there are other members who are also capable in serving those capacities.
The deputy women’s leader of NRM, Hawanatu Sulaimani, said that the leadership of the APC party has no regard and consideration for women, adding “We are only considered during the campaign and elections, but after that we are forgotten.”
“We are tired of receiving fake praises from the leaders who will not seek our interest of our party,” she concluded.
By Ibrahim S. Bangura
11/09/2020. ISSUE NO: 7907