By Idrissa Bangura

In a bid to instill peace and national cohesion in the country, the Inter Religious Council and Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, has made a clarion call to the party leadership of the All People’s Congress on the 17th August, 2023 in order to put an end to the grievances of the membership of the main opposition party.

In connection with the impasse of the just concluded June 24th  Multi –tier elections, which the main opposition party raised an eyebrow on pointing to electioneering fraud that led to serious boycott of the opposition party members of parliament from all forms of legislative activities.

In order to instill national cohesion and peace, the above mentioned institutions which preach peace have decided to mediate with the opposition party hierarchy.

In connection with the demands made by these institutions, the National Advisory Council has decided to entertain the requests from the said institutions and listen to their calls for a meeting.

On the 14th and 15th August, 2023 the party executive met with the Inter Religious Council and the Independent Commission for Peace and National Commission, and in that meeting,  IRC and ICPNC wanted to know the party contestations and the way forward in resolving the impasse between the government and the opposition party.

The party leadership categorically stated that  they are always willing with open hands to go into a sincere dialogue when called by peace stakeholders in order to foster peace and national cohesion which  majority of Sierra Leoneans are yearning for. But, at first meeting, they’d highlighted and pointed fingers on the areas the impasse emanated from.

The national executive of the APC party said that they wanted the public to understand that the party’s position would continue to stand.

The party leadership also emphatically stated that they are with, open mind, ready to sit on a dialogue table with IRC, ICPNC and the government.

However, the party leadership also mentioned that they are not hesitant to sit in a round table to talk through their demands just like any conflicts are resolved at a table.

The party hierarchy, in a press statement, unreservedly and wholeheartedly stated that they can partake in such dialogue when a credible “external arbiter” or institution facilitates this eagerly awaited peace talks.

The party, the press note added, also wants its general membership to know that although the leadership of the party met with these institutions, APC did not engage in any form of negotiation, but merely listened to stakeholders and presented their position, which they said, is generally known to everyone.