The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and one of the main opposition parties in Sierra Leone, the National Grand Coalition (NGC) Party have agreed to build a ‘Progressive Alliance’ to advance transformative development and strengthen national cohesion.
After the meeting at State House, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio twitted: “Today, Wednesday, 12/04/2023, together with the Vice President, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, I met with the distinguished Honourable Dr Kandeh Yumkella of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) Party at the State House, Freetown.
“We discussed various development and governance issues facing our beloved nation. We exchanged ideas on ways of promoting our government’s people-oriented policies.
“We agreed on the need to build a progressive alliance to advance transformative development and strengthen national cohesion. Together, we will move Sierra Leone towards the Right Direction for our current and future generations.”
President Bio had shared his development strives over the five years for which he believed that, his government will now be moving the country from the New Direction Agenda to staying in the Right Direction Agenda.
Few months ago, when President Bio publicly extended to Hon. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella an olive branch to return to SLPP and join forces with him to build Sierra Leone, the president’s action was viewed by some political analysts as a demonstration of brotherhood and national unity.
The NGC said Dr. Yumkella also believed President Bio’s assessment of the type of leadership and political cohesion that Sierra Leone needs to transform the lives of its people and their communities.
What the SLPP—NGC Strategic Alliance will reveal and what it means to and for Sierra Leone is what many people are waiting to know.
Political and Social Commentator, Joseph Thullah said: “The Alliance is expected to unite divisive country by bringing together the North and South and will further ensure fair representation in the country’s body politics by embracing the practices of diversity, equity, and inclusion”.
He concluded saying; “it is also expected that the Alliance will address the most important issues to Sierra Leoneans, like the economy and social cohesion”.
On 3rd July 2017, Hon. Dr. Yumkella publicly announced his decision to suspend his bid to contest for the Presidency of the Republic of Sierra Leone under the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
Hon. Dr. Yumkella then announced that he was joining a National Grand Coalition (NGC). The NGC registered with the Political Parties Registration Commission and was granted its formal license on 18th October, 2018. Hon. Dr. Yumkella was slated to represent the National Grand Coalition as presidential candidate in the March 2018 general elections.
At the elections, the NGC Party gained four Parliamentary Seats at the 2018 general election, one District Chairman, and took control of Kambia District Council.
The Party was attributed 6% of the total nationwide votes cast, by the National Electoral Commission.