Hundreds of supporters of the All Peoples Congress (APC) yesterday welcomed the General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority Captain Benjamin Davies, into the folds of the party. Capt Benjamin Davies had resigned his position in the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change, shortly after he was sacked as Lands Minister a position he had held as a nominee of the PMDC.
Other supporters from the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and PMDC who also declared at the APC party headquarters in Freetown are: daughter of late Chief Hinga Norman Juliet Norman, former chairman Western Area Rural District Council (WARDC) Alieu Badara Mansaray, former headman of Tombo Foday M Kamara, chairman of the Drivers Union, Waterloo Issa Lansana Sannoh, former parliamentary candidate of PMDC Solomon Kargbo, Milton Ojumary, President of the Sierra Leone Ports Association Abdul Nasiru among others.
In his declaring statement, Captain Benjamin Davies said “I am back to the party of which I belong”. He added that what brought me over to APC are the leadership qualities I find in President Ernest Bai Koroma.
“The leadership qualities demonstrated by President Koroma shows that this government is action and development oriented”, adding that the work this government is doing no government has ever done that.
Captain Davies maintained that the event marks another important history in his political life. He asked those who are already in the party to embrace them and work in the interest of the party to ensure its victory come 2012 elections.
Former Chairman WARDC Alieu Badara Mansaray explained that the leadership of the party prompted him to come back to his party. He said “I joined the SLPP because I was having pressure from the former SLPP Presidential Aspirant Solomon Berewa since he was the chairman of the Inter ministerial committee overseeing all councils’ activities”.
Mr. Mansaray noted that at that time “I have no option but to follow the SLPP, but now am back to my original party for real”. He said “I regretted joining the SLPP because they are intentions oriented and not action oriented like the APC government.”
The former Chairman asked for forgiveness to all those he had hurt when he was supporting SLPP. Foday M Kamara former head man Tombo community, who was a strong supporter for SLPP for 17 years, noted that he joined the SLPP due to circumstance beyond his control. He explained that APC was his original party but he joined the SLPP through influence from his friend who is a strong SLPP supporter. “I decided to come back to APC because of the developmental programmes I’m seeing now in the country”.
The Chairman of the Drivers Union Issa Lansana Sannoh stated that his position as Chairman led him to join SLPP, but now he is APC for real.
Welcoming them over, the party’s Secretary General Victor Bockarie Foh cited two scriptures from the Bible. John Chapter 8 verse 3 to 11 which tells the story of a woman who was about to be stoned to death because she committed adultery and Luke Chapter 15 verse 11 to 32 which tells the story of the Prodigal son. He encouraged them to work hard to beef up the party secretariat with high caliber of people.
The ceremony was well attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament and party supporters.
By Abibatu Kamara
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