“We are against that, totally against that,” the statement states, adding, “Therefore, we are not comfortable with the new romance between the President and the Retired Brigadier Bio.”
The SLPP members also stated that the new-found love between President Ernest Bai Koroma and Retired Brig. Julius Maada Bio is a ploy not meant to support the latter but to disintegrate and fragment their dear party, the SLPP, noting that the party must be seen and heard as a true opposition and not a sell-out.
The statement went on:  “We firmly say that the greatness of our party is built on our diversity. It is that competitive spirit that thrives in us that makes us democratic and good governors. It is that spirit that brought our grand-fathers and grand-mothers together in the fifties to form this party here in Kambia. We should be ready to continue living with this spirit.”
They also stated SLPP is for all Sierra Leoneans and that party members in Kambia District “are pleading to the senior party members to embrace peace, to allow all aspirants to talk against violence inside and outside of the country. We are asking you Brigadier Bio, to speak out against violence perpetrated by members of your Pa-o-Pa group all the time.”
The statement, which was released following the SLPP National Officers’ visit to the party office in Kambia, described the district as the original home of the SLPP and welcomed those who are genuine members of the party to visit Kambia.
“We are not happy that some party members, in fact, natural members of the SLPP are not allowed to enter and speak out their views in the party office in Freetown and elsewhere,” states excerpt of the statement, adding, “We are not pleased with the violence that was meted out to our son, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella on 24th August, 2015, in and out of the SLPP office in Freetown.”
The statement maintained that SLPP is “One People, One Country,” not “One Party, One Region.”
The statement further states: “As was manifested by some members of the National Executive especially on the issue of Dr. Yumkella’s membership, we the people of Kambia have to state here that we acknowledge and appreciate the membership of Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella as Chief Patron of the SLPP. We call on all genuine SLPP to do the same.”
It stressed that SLPP is not a party for only one tribe (probably the Mende tribe) but a party for all tribes in Sierra Leone, noting that the party had its motto “One Country, One People” from the date of the party’s foundation in Kambia.
“We have decided today to demonstrate the SLPP spirit of openness, inclusiveness and oneness by gracefully welcoming all of you to this office and to our district with this statement,” the statement concluded.