=BADONSO
An Opinion by Aruna Turay
The news that the Sierra Leone House of Parliament is partaking in next month’s election to elect a Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament is very welcomed news, but the news that two very senior Members of Parliament from Sierra Leone are vying for the same seat as Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament at the same election is very much unwelcomed.
No one will argue the fact that it is the human rights of the two senior honourables to express their interest to occupy the seat, but no one will also welcome the idea of one country, especially a small country like Sierra Leone, sending two contenders for one seat in an election.
The news that two senior sitting Members of Parliament in Sierra Leone’s House of Parliament, Honourable Sidi Mohamed Tunis and Honourable Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah (Chericoco) are both contending against each other for the Speaker’s seat of the ECOWAS Parliament has been received with mixed feelings by countrymen and women.
Hon. Tunis was elected Member of Parliament under the political ticket of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) representing Constituency 101 in the Pujehun district whiles Hon. Chericoco was elected Member of Parliament under the political ticket of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party representing Constituency 126 in Freetown.
The fact that the two gentlemen are representing two major rivalry political parties in the country has not been a justification for them to take this rivalry to such an international platform.
We have seen the leadership of the SLPP publicly declaring support for Hon. Tunis and we hope to see same being done for Hon. Chericoco by the leadership of the APC anytime soon.
How sweet and profitable it will be to see the two fine honourables joining forces and allow Sierra Leone to send out one of them to go win the seat and make our country proud. It is Sierra Leone’s turn to occupy the seat, same as other countries have enjoyed the opportunity, but sending two people for one seat will only help to show the world how disunited, greedy, selfish and disorganized our honourable House of Parliament and its membership has become lately.