The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has nominated the Rt. Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu to continue as Speaker of Parliament for more two years in the next parliament.
Member of Parliament for Pujehun district, Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, who was also a contender for the speakership position made this disclosure during yesterday’s induction programme for elected proposed members of parliament ahead of today’s opening of Parliament.
The Parliament of Sierra Leone has conducted an induction and orientation ceremony for 95 elected Members of Parliament, 81 members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), and 14 Paramount Chief Members of Parliament.
The 54 elected Members of Parliament of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) did not attend the ceremony which commenced yesterday and will last for two months according to the Clerk of Parliament, Umar Paran Tarawally.
Rt. Hon. Dr. Bundu was born on 3rd June, 1948 in Gbinti, Port Loko district to Pa Santigie and Isatu Kallay Bundu. He is a Lawyer, tactful Politician, Diplomat and the current Speaker of the House of the Republic of Sierra Leone Parliament which is the highest Lawmaking body.
He was elected as Speaker of Parliament on 25th April, 2018 by affirmatives of 70 votes out of 123 present. He is one of the most senior Northern politicians and one of the most influential members of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party. He is the older brother of Hon. Ibrahim Bundu, a former member of the opposition All People’s Congress and former majority leader of the House of Parliament.
From 1989 to 1993, Rt. Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu was the Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He also served at various times as Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Tourism and Cultural Affairs and Foreign Affairs and International Corporations
He was the Presidential Candidate of the now defunct Progressive People’s Party (PPP) in the 1996 Sierra Leone presidential election.
Rt. Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu attended the St. Andrews Secondary School in Bo, the Methodist Boys’ High School in Freetown and the St. Edward’s Secondary School also in Freetown. While in secondary school, Bundu was a very brilliant student and he was highly admired by his fellow students and teachers.
Immediately after secondary school, Bundu left Sierra Leone as a youth and moved abroad to further his education. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Australian National University (ANU) and both a Master of Laws and a PhD in International Law from the University of Cambridge, England. He is also a Barrister-at-Law.
Rt. Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu numerous positions include a Law Tutor in Cambridge University, Assistant Director of International Affairs and Consultant in Constitutional Law in the Commonwealth Secretariat in London from 1975–82; Executive Secretary of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from 1989–1993, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation (1993–1995), Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources 1982–85; member of Parliament 1982-1992 and Presidential candidate in the 1996 Presidential election in Sierra Leone.
He is an expert on West African affairs and a renowned expert on constitutional and international law. Bundu has written a critical analysis of the Civil War in Sierra Leone, in his book entitled “Democracy by Force?” and several legal articles in various international legal journals.
In 1991, Rt. Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu strongly criticized President Joseph Saidu Momoh’s Government for including clauses in the draft Sierra Leone Constitution 1991 that would have enabled President Momoh to contest under the 1991 Constitution with a clean slate and ignoring the 7-years stint he had served as President from 1985-1992; For this stance, he was expelled from the APC Party along with nine other people.
In 1996, Rt. Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu formed his own political party (PPP) and ran for President in Sierra Leone. His bid was unsuccessful.
Presently he is the Speaker of the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
In today’s parliamentary event, the newly elected members of parliament will take oath of office and elect a Speaker of the sixth parliament.
