Office of the APC District Secretary
Kono District,
Eastern Region
13th September, 2021
The Chairman
Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC)
OAU Drive
Tower Hill
Freetown
Dear Sir,
Re; PETITION AGAINST ELECTORAL MALPRACTICES IN KONO DISTRICT; CONSTITUNCIES 24, 25, 26.27,28,29 AND 30
Permit our recognition to your office and therefore we write directly to you in relations to previous petitions which you have been copied. This petition is dated as far back as 28th August, 2021, citing the various anomalies during the organization of the just concluded district elections to elect the five (5) delegates from every constituency nationwide to participate in the forthcoming National Delegate Conference (NDC) of the All Peoples Congress (APC).
In view of these we wish to bring to your notice that the disrupted and disputed elections in constituencies 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 remain unresolved and, as at this time no rerun has been organized. Secondly with this yet unresolved we have seen names published by the 21 man committee as representatives from these disputed constituencies.
The 21 man committee which is being set up by an instruction from the Court of the land is to put in place an election to elect 132 delegates to go the NDC as one of its obligatory responsibility within a said time. But it is rather unfortunate, that is not the case as we bring to your knowledge details of these inconclusive elections by either deliberate dispute or disenfranchisement.
Constituencies 24, 25, 26 and 27 did not witness any form of voting; constituencies 28, 29 and 30 were not free and fair as people with registered National Electoral Commission identification cards were not allowed to vote whilst the process was totally different in other places such as constituencies 22 and 23.
On the 27th of August 2021, the day the elections in to Kainkordu Town; constituency 24, the 21 man committee representative Mr. Karamo Kabba did not allow people with registered (NEC) identification cards to vote. In view of the long argument that ensued, Mr. Kabba left Kaikordu Town and came to Koidu.
In constituency 25, the 21 man committee appointed presiding officer; Hon Abubarkar Fofanah regrettably did not come to the polling station in Kombayendeh . Even an enquiry from an APC aspirant Mr Patrick Fayia did not bring any good result. In view of this the appointed presiding officer, Ms Margaret Suluku who had earlier and openly declared her support for Dr. Samura Kamara, decided to conduct the elections. The people refused resulting in no election at the end of the day.
In constituency 26, Hon. Abdul Kargbo was not allowed by several youths to conduct the election when he maintained that people with the NEC identification card are not allowed to vote.
In Constituency 27, ( Tefeya Town) came to a chaotic end when the 21 man committee appointed officer in charge of the elections Hon. Thorlie came back with a change of decision as against his first pronouncement; insisting that people with the NEC identification cards are not allowed to vote. This actually came up after a secret consultation with a particular sect in the polling station who also agreed with Hon. Thorlie. These being contrary to the greater number of would be voters in the polling station, lead to the cancellation of the election.
In Constituency 28, the first rule that angered the people was when the man in charge of the election Hon. Lahai Marah, shifted the elections to a three house section of a place called number 11; instead of where it was originally scheduled to hold– Tombodu Town. After a few people voted, the police officers fired tear gas and took the ballot boxes to the police station and did not make any announcement to that effect.
In constituency 29, a particular group nominated their own members to be voted for. They refused to accept our own nominations and started voting. Confusions emanated from such decision and police started firing tear gas disrupting the entire process.
In Constituency 30, Mr. Bai Mamoud who was the appointed 21 man committee officer had earlier said that people with NEC identification cards would vote. But after allowing the nomination of people from a particular group, he then ordered that only people with APC party cards were first to vote and, after those voting he stopped accepting votes during which the police seized the box and ran with it to the station. In the midst of skirmishes, the police fired tear gas and threats of gun fire stopped the elections.
Sir, with reference to the above, we would expect you to please see if you could help address the following issues comprehensively for the satisfaction of our teaming party members of the district before the coming NDC of our party.
Signed
Yours sincerely,
………………………………….
Madam Fanta Sia Tachequee
APC District Secretary, Kono
Dr. David T. Baryoh (Dist. Pub. Secretary)
Alhaji Mohamed Aka Kororma, Const. 029
Cc; His Lordship Adrian Fisher
Cc; the Secretary, 21 Man Technical Committee
Cc; the National Secretary General, APC