By- Aruna Rashed Toma Bangura

The newly elected Deputy National Secretary General of the strong main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party, Lawyer Osman Abdal Timbo has said no intimidation tactics, harassment, arrest or bullying will scare them ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

Addressing the press at their party headquarters on Tuesday 28th February, 2023, Lawyer Osman Abdal Timbo said their party is a government in waiting and their hope is to build back Sierra Leone after their party would have taken power through the ballot box on 24th June,2023.

He stated their people know what the forthcoming election is about, which he said is about their survival and saving the soul of the nation.

The Deputy Secretary General said the APC party will take power through a democratic process, adding that the party strongly condemned all acts of violence, harassment and gross human rights abuses meted by state security forces.

He added that the worrying conduct of state security forces do not bear well for the country’s democracy.

Lawyer Timbo stated that Sierra Leone has made a lot of gains in consolidating peace and improving the image within the respect for human rights and tolerance for opposition members. He said the party is urgently calling the Chief of Defense Staff of RSLAF, the Inspector General of Police and office of National Security to investigate these acts of violence, harassment and gross human rights abuses to bring the perpetrators to book.

He said the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cited the role of the security forces in maintaining or destroying a fragile hard won peace. He warned that security forces must not toil with that fragile and hard won peace.

He furthered that APC urged the Bio led government to condemn all the violent acts and facilitate the swift investigation of perpetrators to destroy any belief that the government had any hand on the assault and intimidation of their members, adding that what the APC is demanding for is a level playing field for all political parties. He said that the APC must be given the freedom within the laws to operate just as it is being done for SLPP and its flagbearer.

Lawyer O.A Timbo reiterated that the APC continue to urge it members that their party is a government in the waiting will not afford to jeopardize the peace of the nation, adding that the APC’s result is to see a peaceful and prosperous Sierra Leone. He said the APC will use all lawful and democratic means to gain powers.

Osman Timbo assured that the party and its members refused to be provoked as the APC is concern about the business and ameliorating the harsh living conditions of their compatriots. He said APC party is busy devising workable ways to get the country’s economy better and nation on upward trajectory, adding that the party is also focused on saving the nation of Sierra Leone and will continue to make use of all lawful means to make its voice far heard and rely on the international community to protect the peace of Sierra Leone.