Like September 11 which has been marked as Remembrance Day in the United States of America, September 17 is the date the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) will never forget.
That date during the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary elections which the SLPP lost to the then opposition All Peoples Congress, was also the time the SLPP lost the majority in Parliament to the APC.
September 17 was also the date the SLPP was sent them to the doldrums and the day on which their headquarters was attacked, vandalized and comprehensively looted in broad day light and in the full view of the police.
That attack was allegedly done by supporters of the APC celebrating their victory. That September 17 attack brought no peace to the SLPP as their regional offices were also attacked and vandalized with some of their supporters victimized.
The attacks continued unto March this year when another fatal attack was carried at their headquarters and allegations of rape and assault also reported.
The Publicity Secretary of the SLPP, Ibrahim El-Tayyib Bah has said they are not going to mark the anniversary of the Ernest Bai Koroma led administration, but that of the attack on their Headquarters where he said vandalism was perpetrated in broad day. El- Tayyib Bah cautioned that for democracy to thrive, the opposition parties should have their say and should be allowed to operate in an unhindered atmosphere.
Whilst the ruling APC party is counting their successes today, the opposition SLPP will be reminiscing on their loses in the hands of the APC.
By Ishmael Bayoh
ADVERTISEMENT