NEC okays RUFP, UDM and UNPP Presidential candidates

Business

The National Electoral Commission completed the nomination process of three political parties Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates at the Commission’s head office at Tower Hill in Freetown on Saturday 6th October 2012. The three completed political parties are the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP), United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the United National People’s Party (UNPP) Eldred Collins and Madam Jemba Gbandi Ngobeh are the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates for the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP), Mohamed Bangura and Denis Taila N. Saidu are the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates United Democratic Movement (UDM) and Dr. James Obai Fullah and Michael King represented United National People’s Party (UNPP) as Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. The day, Saturday 6th October 2012, was originally scheduled as the nomination date of the Revolutionary United Front Party (RUFP) Presidential and Parliamentary candidates, but due to the none appearance of the United Democratic Movement Party and the United National People’s Party presidential and vice presidential candidates on their stipulated date set by NEC, they were deferred to Saturday to complete their nomination process. Having gone through the entire nomination process, Madam Thorpe thanked Eldred Collins and his running mate for making it through the process and then asked them about their plans, as they are heading for State House, that has to do with governance and leadership of the nation as the Commission earlier on forwarded the Vienna Declaration that has to do with trust in governance that was passed in 2007 in Vienna. Eldred Collins dressed in a dark grey suit, opened the ballot box and chose prioritizing service delivery which is the second recommendation of the Vienna Declaration, among many other topics in the box to be discussed. Madam Thorpe briefly read the portion that has public sector performance in service delivery in the interest of the people. Collins states that service delivery is paramount, as far as his manifesto is concerned by ensuring that they give credible and affordable services to the people of the country, as their position is to ensure the involvement of the local community in governance, as a way of increasing their level of participation in decision-making. “My party as a revolutionary, will ensure that the people are actively involved in decision-making, as it has to do with the welfare. How can you take decisions without the consent of the people that it will affect” he said explaining that his party will ensure that the service delivery sector of the country is completely nationalized. In addition to that, Madam Jemba Gbandi Ngbobeh, resident of Kailahun and the running-mate of RUPF party maintained that their party’s manifesto states ‘power and wealth to the people’ as their motto. So, as a revolutionary that has laid down their guns, as a party the RUFP, is ready to fight for the people, to ensure that they benefit from the country’s wealth, through participation in governance. “My Party as a revolutionist will work hard to ensure violent free election come November 2012” said Eldred Collins. Mohamed Bangura representing the UDM party, chose the topic on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) from the ballot box as instructed by NEC chairperson in accordance with the Vienna Declaration. The UDM leader states that as man with vast knowledge in ICT, he will ensure that communication is taken to the least village in the country, even in the market places, especially internet facilities, as his aim is to transform Sierra Leone into an African Singapore, in terms of development. In response to the question of age, as to whether he had reach the age of 40 to contest as a presidential candidate, Mohamed disclosed that is a thing of the past, as “I have gone through the nomination process and being certified by the commission, I think that is the answer to that question”. He explained that the chances for him to win the presidency are not too strong considering the traditional base of the ruling APC and the opposition SLPP party, “but I’m sure my party will be represented in council and Parliament”. Dr. James Obai Fullah the presidential candidate of UNPP on the other hand, chose the topic of bringing the government closer to the people as recommendation No. 7 of the declaration. According to him, the only way they can achieve that is by partnering with the people, as the concept of flexibility is very vital in that direction, adding that mass education should be embarked on for the people to know about the issues of governance. By Alhaji M. Kamara

Fill the forms below to register

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.