I honor and commend Hon. Benjamin for his sobriety and for acknowledging that such migrations are indeed healthy for a democratically-disposed polity. Haruna.

Courtesy: The SierraLeone Telegraph.

SLPP Chairman - John Benjamin Strongly Condemns the Defection of Party Presidential Aspirant  to the Ruling APC

Abdul R Thomas
Editor - The Sierra Leone Telegraph

31 January 2011


Party faithfuls of Sierra Leone’s opposition SLPP, have been meeting in the southern provincial city of Bo over the weekend. The emergency Party conference was called primarily to discuss, and if approved, to ratify an earlier decision taken at the November 2010 Party Convention. This conference will seek to avert serious constitutional crisis and a possible disintegration of the Party.

In November 2010, a decision was taken by the conference, empowering the current Executive Committee, which is led by the Chairman – john Benjamin, to remain in office until after the country’s general election in 2012.

But since that decision was made, there have been many internal debates as to the legality of tenure of office, of the Benjamin administration.

Photo: John Benjamin and Dr. Sama Banya

Some key Party grandees have openly challenged and expressed doubts, as to whether the November 2010 Convention, had legally authorised the current Executive Committee to continue in office beyond February 2011. Equally so, there are many in the Party who are now hoping, that the current Executive will be endorsed by the conference, to continue its work. They say that, any decision taken now to change Party administration, will seriously and irretrievably disrupt the efficient organisation and management of the Party’s Presidential aspirants’ election, which is just six weeks away. But there are strong and vociferous calls from within the Party, for clarification of the legality and democratic legitimacy of the Executive Committee, once their tenure of office expires at the end of February 2011. These calls must be heard in order to avoid Party disintegration.

In an unprecedented show of leadership and authority, the Party Chairman – John Benjamin  delivered a passionate appeal to the Party – calling for unity. He strongly condemned the recent wave of defection of senior Party grandees and Presidential aspirant to the ruling APC Party.

Political observers say that Saturday's speech by John Benjamin, may well go down in the Party's history as his most important since taking up office, and is likely to determine the Party's fate in the coming weeks and months. There are media reports of more defections from the Party, to follow that of one of the aspirants of the Party's Presidential leadership race - Professor Ritchard M'Bayo.

Professor M'Bayo announced his defection to the ruling APC Party, on live national television, a few weeks ago, during a meeting with President Koroma at State House, provoking strong condemnation and accusations of betrayal. 

Excerpt of Chairman - John Benjamin's speech is reproduced below:

"Fellow Party members, it could be recalled at the last NEC meeting we had in Freetown on November 27th 2010, it was resolved that we forward to the National Party Conference, for ratification, our salient agreement that given the political circumstances and exigencies, the tenure of office of all elected executives at various levels, be extended until after the 2012 Presidential & General Elections in Sierra Leone.

Following that NEC Meeting, it was brought to the attention of the Party that if we wait until March 2011 to ratify the resolution, some of our delegates might find themselves in the uncomfortable position of not being able to be seated as legitimate delegates as their tenure might have expired before the resolution was ratified.

Upon a close study of the SLPP Constitution, it was realized that in fact, only 72 out of the hundreds of delegates making up our National Party Conference, will be affected by this legitimacy question that has come about because of the biennial nature of elections that commence their tenures. All the other delegates are not at all affected by this biennial clause. Only 72 delegates are so affected."

"As the internal debate over the issue commenced; sometimes spilling into the local media, it became obvious that what was being questioned was the timing of the ratification and not the proposed extension itself which is not a unique occurrence within our Party.

The SLPP has severally over the last decade and a half, extended the mandate of elected officials starting from 1997 when political circumstances denied us the chance to elect replacements for the various 1995 elected officials until 2002."

"Two years after in 2004, we again postponed replacing the Dr. Sama Banya chaired National SLPP Executive until 2005. Again, two years later, in 2007, political exigencies caused us to postpone replacing the Alhaji U.N.S. Jah chaired National SLPP Executive until the year 2009 when I was elected to chair the SLPP.

It is thus clear that extensions are not prohibited. However, the question has been how are such extensions to be done within the spirit and intendment of the SLPP Constitution?

"Inside the SLPP Constitution, there is nowhere such extensions are prohibited. If anything, there is allowance within the Constitution for such extensions as long as they are proposed by NEC and ratified by the National Party Conference.

As stated earlier, only 72 of our delegates are affected by the issue of biennial elections. These are the 4 delegates each (Chairman, Secretary, Women’s Leader and Young Generation Leader) from the 17 SLPP Electoral Districts totalling 68 District level delegates plus the 4 Regional Secretaries to give a grand total of only 72 delegates who are affected by the biennial clause concerning elections into their positions."

"However, even one delegate seated with a question mark is one too many and so we decided that rather than wait until March 5th 2011 to ratify the NEC Resolution, we will call this extraordinary Party Conference today to ratify the decision at the time when all the 72 delegates are still legitimately elected and can legitimately vote for the extension.

This, ladies and gentlemen is why we are here today. Let me once again give sincere thanks to all those who raised the issue in the interest of our great Party."

"Now, Fellow Party members, it could be recalled that I had promised that this executive shall ensure the adequate provision of opportunities to engage in policy discussions, create cohesion and reconcile our differences as a Party. I am therefore pleased to inform you that we are not here in Bo today purely to ratify the NEC Resolution but to talk frankly as a family.

Fellow Party members, our 2012 success can only be realized if we are united as one people and are prepared to exhibit that the moment we elect our flag bearer on March 5th 2011. I, personally have so much faith and confidence in our ability to always emerge from our discussions stronger than before."

"Indeed, outsiders are up to their usual speculations once again that the SLPP will disintegrate after March 5th 2011. We have proved them wrong over the years and we will prove them wrong again when, after March 5th, the SLPP emerges as an even more potent and united force determined to go back to serve our people; at Sharp 12!

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the wake of one of our former flagbearer aspirant defecting to the ruling APC Party, we have been subjected to media reports that our Party should expect more defections from our ranks to that of APC."

"Let me say that as Party Leader, I will continue to have fullest confidence in every single member of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party until such time as that member decides to betray the cause. Media reports of defections do not discourage me and I appeal to you all, for such reports not to discourage you.

Sierra Leone’s multi-Party democracy needs to be sustained by all means possible. We cannot, I repeat, we cannot allow it to fail. Multi-Party democracy is the best form of Governance for Sierra Leone."

"The challenge to us is in ensuring that in spite of all the difficulties we are facing and in spite of all the intimidation and incentives being offered to SLPP members to jump ship, that we put our shoulders to the wheel to ensure the continued existence of a Multi-Party Democratic State of Sierra Leone."

Many people defend those who seek to graze on lucrative pastures of the APC, as being on a mission to ‘serve the Nation’. This is untrue and should be scorned! They are on a selfish mission which will take this country back to the One-Party days at great detriment to the ordinary man.

Only a multi-Party democratic culture with distinct dichotomy between the two main political Parties can firmly embed democracy into our Nation."

"The ruling APC seems to be ready to stop at absolutely nothing to undermine the chances of the SLPP at the 2012 Elections. This includes paying of SLPP members within our ranks to act as moles and spies transmitting sensitive information from within our ranks to the APC.

It also includes using raw intimidation and, or cash and opportunities to lure away our cherished SLPP members to their side.

Many of our traditional Paramount Chiefs in the country have been forced to declare their support for the ruling APC Party and to openly denounce the SLPP. These Chiefs in turn, have transferred such intimidation tactics on to their subjects in a bid to get them to transfer their support from the SLPP to the APC."

"I am proud to however state that whilst there has been some success with the desire of the APC to destroy our support base; our people nationwide have stood resolute in their support for our SLPP.
It is my fervent desire that every single one of our cherished SLPP members would be able to resist the lure of incentives and cash which the APC seems to have in abundance.

It is my fervent wish that in the spirit of multi-Party democracy which this country so badly needs in this 21st Century, every single SLPP member will stay within the fold and strive with us."

"At this point, let me assure you all that John Oponjo Benjamin will be the last man standing rather than defect or cross-over to the APC. The money that can buy me over to the APC has not yet been made on Planet Earth.

All the money on Planet Earth put together and all the incentives in this world cannot sway me in my firm determination to ensure the APC is democratically removed from the seat of governance and replaced by the SLPP in 2012."

"Maybe on a day space aliens land from Planet Jupiter arrives with a new kind of money, you can consider the possibility that APC can buy John Benjamin but for now, no amount of money on this earth can buy me.

No Cocaine money can buy me. No NASSIT Ferry money can buy me. No Wanza Gunboat money can buy me. No Income Electrix money can buy me. No Indian Rice money can buy me. No Development Roads Kickbacks money can buy me. No Mining Company bribe can buy me.

No Million Dollars Tax waiver can buy me. No depleted Strategic Stock money can buy me. No APC money can buy me. And so, I appeal to you all to emulate your Leader and ensure that no amount of money can also lure you over to the APC or cause you to betray the ideals set out for us by our forefathers."

"The APC is not good for this country. Just taking a look at Sierra Leone today as against the Sierra Leone we handed over to them in 2007 is evidence of their unfitness to be in governance. We have come to witness increased crime rate with a recreation of scenes of perpetual fear and insecurity reminiscent only of the war years.

Furthermore, the price of every commodity is rising day after day. A bag of rice is now sold at Le145,000 up from the Le55,000 it was at when we handed over power just three years ago.

The value of the Leone with respect to the US$ is now estimated at almost Le4,500 to US$1 representing a massive depreciation from when we handed over power at Le2,900 to US$1. This is frightening. The economy is in free fall."

"An APC Parliamentarian has revealed that the APC in just four years has not only depleted the Strategic Stock funds we left behind but they have finished all the money we handed over to them and have now incurred fresh debts to the tune of over 700 million dollars.

The SLPP, under my financial leadership as Finance Minister, had caused all of the country’s 1.7 Billion dollars debt to be wiped off. Most of these debts were incurred by the previous APC regimes of Siaka Stevens and Joseph Momoh. Well, the APC is back and are spending money in a reckless manner.

They embark on projects that were not budgeted for and as a result, the socio-economic needs of the country are being abandoned whilst infrastructural developments that cannot be afforded are being engaged upon for political purposes."

"Over-spending is responsible for the inflation rates and the hard times we are now facing as a Nation. The exchange rate of the dollar to the Leone just keeps on skyrocketing. This simply cannot be blamed on global financial problems because if global problems are affecting all economies and all currencies, why is it that only the Leone is going down in value? Global should also affect the dollar.

The problem is not caused by ‘global’ but by ‘Big-Eye’. Gluttonous politicians are busy lining their pockets. The Anti Corruption Commission under the APC, is now a tool for witch-hunting and settling of scores with the Commission turning itself into a constant source of irony."

"The ACC charged Magistrate Adrian Fisher with 20 counts over a sum of Three Million Leones he is alleged to have misappropriated but when Sixteen Billion Leones is expended in corrupt circumstances by a relative of the President, Edmund Koroma, the ACC merely fines Koroma the sum of just half a billion Leones with no time-frame to repay and does not charge him to court.

Who determines who is a sacred cow in the face of clear evidence of corruption? How was Afsatu Kabba charged and Edmund Koroma spared?

With all of these problems in our country, only a united SLPP can save this country from plunging further. Let us close ranks and come together showing respect for each other. Indeed, with all the myriad of tactics being used by the APC against the SLPP’s interests, we are challenged but we can stand firm and make it together."

"I want to call on every SLPP member to first of all, do everything possible to promote a good image about him or herself to the public and by extension, a good image of the Party to members of the voting public.

Let me at this point state that no SLPP member is above the party or equal to the Party. The SLPP is bigger than all of us and so no-one will be allowed to hold this Party to ransom."

"There is no SLPP member with the ability to destroy the existence of the SLPP. It has lasted through turbulent times for a period of 60 years and it will continue to exist for the next 60 years and more. Long after you and I will be dead and buried, our children and grandchildren will continue with the SLPP which our forefathers handed over to us.

No one person has the ability to destroy such a formidable institution like the SLPP. The SLPP will never die. The SLPP cannot die. The SLPP is our inheritance and we will hand it over to our children safely."

"Let me reference what I said at the November NEC Meeting that none of our worthy 19 aspirants will enjoy any special support from me. Not even one second before the voting.

There is no aspirant who can say he enjoys any covert or overt support from John Benjamin. If an aspirant tells you that John Benjamin is backing him, then please do not trust him or her as that aspirant is a big liar!

In the same vein, there is no aspirant here who will sit well with his or her conscience, if that aspirant says John Benjamin is against him. My conscience is very clear on this. I have not disadvantaged any aspirant nor have I backed any one aspirant over the others."

"To the delegates, I urge you all to put the Party’s 2012 chances first. Do not vote by tribe or region or monetary inducement but vote for the candidate who will most likely, first take the SLPP to State House and then take Sierra Leone to its rightful economic and social development place.

Finally, I want to assure you all that just as has been the case with previous SLPP Conventions even when we were in governance, this Convention today is being held without the corrupt recourse to any government funds like the APC does in stealing money from Government to run their Conventions. The SLPP is a Party of gentlemen and not a Party of thieves."

LONG LIVE THE SIERRA LEONE PEOPLE’S PARTY; LONG LIVE UNITY; SLPP! THE ONLY WAY OUT!; THE ONLY WAY FORWARD!; THE ONLY WAY THROUGH!; AND POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

I THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU!”