APC Presidental flagbearer Ernest Koroma displaying their manifesto
With fanfare and the tune of the All Peoples Congress (APC) victory song, hundreds of party stalwarts and members of the diplomatic corps welcomed Ernest Koroma the Party flag bearer into the hall at The Bank Complex yesterday where he launched the party’s manifesto.
Ernest Koroma who was clad in a black suit with red tie blamed the woes of Sierra Leone on the present government
He said that the elections of 2002 was not a defeat for the APC but a tragedy for the nation stating that by installing itself as a government of Sierra Leone following questionable elections the SLPP opened the flood gates of corruption and governmental administrative misconduct on a scale never seen before.
Ernest pointed out that basic services for the people remain a dream; infrastructural development has been limited to a few rehabilitation projects.
He said “the initiative to start something new has been virtually non-existent.
In general he said “the SLPP leadership throughout this period has displayed an amazing consistence in its profound mismanagement of the state.”
The APC flag bearer thundered “We in the APC have clear messages regarding the future of our nation.”
He said “It is a message rooted in our history and our achievements – we take pride in the honesty of our relations with the people because APC is their party, their political creation.”
“We confess to them our mistakes and express regrets. We don’t give belated and personal information’s about donations made to Sierra Leone from foreign governments.
We don’t make empty and vexatious promises about building railway or a bridge to Lungi or abundant food for the people by 2007.” Ernest Koroma punctuated, amidst booming cheers from the crowd.
He promised that they speak the plain truth and nothing but the truth about what they can do and what they cannot do for the people of Sierra Leone.
He humbly acceded that as a party and a future government soon to be installed they are aware of the problems and the limitations that they will be faced with and as they seek the mandate of the people for the governance of the nation they do so with honesty.
The APC Presidential aspirant defined their manifesto as “a reflection of that honesty of approach and strategies that contains in it fundamental concerns of our people”
He said that they have set out in the manifesto an agenda for the renewal of this nation.
The flag bearer also reminded all that the APC was the first opposition party in sub-Saharan Africa to unseat an incumbent government through the ballot box and promised that they will do it again in the forthcoming elections.
He pointed out that they are going into the elections with carefully calculated and prudent policies, underlined by wise counsel, visionary leadership and a good knowledge of the politics and people of Sierra Leone.
Dauda Kamara, the Chairman said that they the APC are revealing their manifesto with style and form and true to form Dr Abdul Karim Koroma talked on the foreign policy, Mr Birch Conte spoke about the economy and Mr Alpha Kanu focused on how their party will address social services