Presidential candidate for the ruling SLPP Solomon Ekuma Berewa has pledged that he will fight poverty if he wins. Solomon Berewa and his smiling running mate Momodu Koroma, appeared at the National Electoral Commission headquarters late Saturday morning where they officially registered for the upcoming Aug. 11th elections.
Berewa and Koroma were accompanied by a host of green-clad party supporters before making their way to a series of tables to submit documents to NEC officials.
Berewa who arrived in a black French suit changed into a green polo shirt emblazoned with the party’s crest on his chest inorder to have his photos taken for the ballot papers.
.Before receiving approval for their nomination Berewa was asked to comment on what he has in store for Sierra Leoneans against the background of the post conflict situation.
“I’m lucky that I’ve been very much involved in the resolution of conflicts in this country for a very a long time,” Berewa said. “That’s not to say that new conflicts won’t come by, but my main aim would be to create a situation where you have fostered confidence.
Give yourself a system of resolving conflicts, and that system is people centered, the likelihood of your solution being accepted is very great.”
Koroma was asked by the Chief Electoral Commissioner to give assurances of a violence free campaign.
“I believe that one of the best assurances that we can give as a political party is our record,” he said. “We in this post conflict phase have gone through two general elections, the third one being the local government elections. I think our record speaks for itself”
Koroma went on the explain that the SLPP conducts itself in a peaceful manner and assured those present that party members would adhere to the political code of conduct, calling the election a “friendly contest.”
Later questioned by Awoko on what line he would be launching his campaign, Berewa answered “The SLPP is a populous party, we will be asking the people to look at our track record to see what we are capable of doing in comparism to our opponents.
He went on “I have a presumption of continuity … the fact that we’ve done something today the presumption is that we can do something tomorrow, we are a people centered thing, we go for the people … everything we do is in their interest to please them and to make them to renew their confidence in their country and to restore their dignity these are the ways we will be proceeding.”
Berewa stated further “These are the things we will be telling them clean government well governed government, human rights, freedom of all the other things under which the people of these country were subjugated.”
The SLPP leader went on to say that “We are not satisfied with all this massive poverty in this country this is what we are going to fight and when you read my manifesto you will see that the country is very poor.”
“I’ve gone to every corner of this country” he said, adding that “I’ve seen how poor the people are, when I see people joking about situations in this country it’s because they are sitting in very comfortable situations but you only have to go beyond this building and see how poverty can stare in your face these are the things we are going to fight.”
Mr Berewa maintained “now that we’ve fought the war we are going to fight this poverty we are going to make the people have ownership of the assets of this country that is my priority and I will pursue it irrespective of who criticizes me whatever you say about me I’m going to be undaunted in that approach.”
Saturday was the last day for registration. The next two days are reserved for objections which will be decided by the Supreme Court. The next to final phase of the process begins on Tuesday when the campaigns are set to kick off.
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