Some 21 stakeholders, among them those planning to lead the party to the 2018 elections, signed the 9-point joint communiqué that require them inter alia to “revert to the original party executive structure of august 2013” and that “all suspensions and expulsions be annulled”.

The document also required that an emergency National Executive Council meeting be held on Tuesday 14 February 2017 “for presentation and adoption of the resolutions of this peace meeting and should include flagbearer aspirants and other stakeholders as observers”.

One of them, Dr. Franklyn Rogers, said they had commenced peace talks with the potential to reach a fruitful outcome ahead of their party’s forthcoming political leadership convention.

Former women’s leader, Isatu Jabbie Kabba, stated that their peaceful move would secure them the victory in the forthcoming national elections, adding that the peace talks were a bold step in preparing for the next elections.

She praised the move by all flagbearers to get together, saying that that had never happened in the history of the party.

Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, also aspiring to lead the party, explained that it was a very exciting thing that they were finally coming together, adding that the party was one that stood for peace and unity.

“We are very excited that peace has come and we are all together. This day is a historic day,” he said.

Brig. Rtd Julius Maada Bio, told party supporters that the only thing that was standing between the SLPP and state house was unity and that had already started with that day’s  meeting.

“I also want to encourage you to uphold and maintain peace and unity among yourselves for the benefit of the party come 2018”, he said, and called on them to embrace all flagbearer aspirants, as they were all SLPP.

A peace march was organized at the end of the peace talks where all aspiring flagbearer candidates marched on from their office to the central part of Freetown.