Eight parliamentary candidates from the All Peoples Congress Party [APC] have officially been approve by the National Electoral Commission branch office in kono , making them eligible to contest the November polls. Four of the candidates who were accused of being candidates of the diaspora and were undemocratically awarded with party symbols, without the approval of the people spoke to our reporter.
Aiah Entochema Elba for constituency 21 Tankoro said he has the support of the people and that he is confident of winning the election. He said he is a strong member of the ruling party in the diaspora, [America] and he is therefore influencial among members. When asked what are the strategies he has put in place for the campaign, thinking of the fact that he is not popular amongst his people, he said he has very strong team to move into the interior to kick start the campaign. He said he has the youth and the old on his side.
Alice Torto the only female candidate and of constituency 26 Gbane said she came from the diaspora but necessary mean she is a diasporan. She said the women folk in her constituency have endorsed her candidature, and that she would work hard to serve their interest in parliament. Madam Torto reiterated that she would beat all opponents contesting in that constituency.
Wotay Musa also another diasporan said he is an investor and that he has invested in this country millions of leones both in kono and in freetown. Though he was unable to outline some of those areas of investment. He said is ready to develop his constituency with special reference to education.
Almost all of them claimed to have strong support from aamongst the people and that they have chances of winning the election.
Tamba Moinje political analyst and human rights activist said except if the people of kono are unreasonable and cant judge well ”but if the do, then I cant see any of those diasporan heading for parliament. He said he really want to see and hear them during campaigns and that what they would tell the people, they claimed to represent. Moinje said those days are gone when the people of kono would vote in candidates they don’t kono. He also said that those chiefs who had single handedly approved of their candidature, should know that they are not popular in their chiefdoms and the people would refused to vote for candidates thrown at them by their authority.
By Jon-bu
ADVERTISEMENT