By Kemo Cham
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bo’s bid for reelection for a second term has effectively kicked off with his election by the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) as its flagbearer.
Bio was elected in the southern city of Bo, where the party held its much delayed delegate conference from December 29 to 30.
Bio was nominated unopposed, according to a statement issued by his office.
The SLPP becomes the first among the country’s 17 registered political parties to elect its flagbearer for the election that is expected in 2023, according to the electoral calendar of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Bio was elected president in April 2018, his second attempt at the country’s top job. He defeated the then candidate of the incumbent All People’s Congress (APC), Dr Samura Kamara, in a runoff, after the first round involving a total of 16 contenders.
The SLPP’s delegate conference took place at the Bo Mini Stadium.
Bio was nominated by Dr Prince Alex Harding, the beleaguered incumbent chairman of the governing party, and it was seconded by Umaru Napoleon Koroma, deputy minister of Justice.
The Sierra Leonean leader was quoted thanking the party’s national delegates “for the confidence reposed” in him and assuring them that he was willing and determined to keep the party in power by winning in the first ballot in the next election.
“I hereby accept to be the flagbearer of the greatest party and the best thing that ever happened to this country, the Sierra Leone People’s Party. It is a great honour for me. You have made me your flagbearer for the third time. This time we are going to make the main opposition look small. The All People’s Congress (APC) say they have 99 tactics, so I used my military tactic to beat them in the last elections,” Bio said in his acceptance speech.
He added: “Meanwhile, after these internal elections, we must come together as a family and a united force. Let’s put the party together so that there will be no second round in the 2023 general elections. I will not disappoint you.”
The outcome of the 2018 election was disputed by APC, which alleged fraud. That race was so tight that many analysts doubt the chance of Bio getting a first-round victory in in 2023.
The governing party has been undergoing reforms within. One of these reforms include the amendment of its constitution. The new constitution, which was adopted in Bo, makes the president the leader of the party, to be assisted by the Vice President.
