The most popular candidate for the SLPP Chairmanship race in Bombali District who was prevented from taking part in the elections has vowed to seek redress in court if the said election is not reversed.
Abu Kamara popularly known as Abu SLPP is a household name in Makeni and the district at large.
It could be recalled that SLPP conducted Bombali District Executive elections for ten positions in Makeni on 12th May 2025.
Prior to the elections, the party Headquarters in Freetown despatched about 20,000 membership cards to the then District Chairman, Alhaji Mohamed Siaffa aka Mogamba for sale to the various candidates and their supporters at Le 20 each.
The card is a qualification criteria for party members to vote in the elections.
But impeccable sources say whilst other candidates were given substantial numbers of cards, Abu SLPP was never allowed to buy any cards and distributed to his supporters.
His numerous efforts to complain to the political hierarchy, report says, went in vain.
“But despite this manipulative strategy to stop party members from voting for him many delegates that received the cards vowed in many fora to vote him in,during the elections,” Mbalu Kamara a staunched supporter of Abu SLPP said.
Shocked by this news, the Returning Officer and his cohorts reportedly intimidated voters outside and inside the Old Town Hall on election day not to nominate the most popular candidate (Abu SLPP).
Making statements in the hall to voters prior to the elections, the Regional Returning Officer Abu Abu Abdulai Koroma called out the names of only four candidates among the five, who, he said, were qualified to contest the position of District Chairman thereby leaving out Abu SLPP. As a result of the above, a loud noise was heard in the hall that stopped the former Resident Minister from making further statement.
“But with the presence of heavy armed OSD personnel in the hall, the people were not allowed to resort to violence,” Alimamy Turay says. During the melee they said, some delegates left the hall without taking part in the elections. Petition letters sent by Abu SLPP to the Regional Election Complaints Committee (RECC) and the party National executive after the alleged “rigged elections” have not received due attention.