𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄
𝐀𝐏𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐔𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐀𝐃𝐀 𝐁𝐈𝐎
The All People’s Congress (APC) is deeply concerned and therefore expresses profound disappointment in the recent speech delivered by President Julius Maada Bio. In his address, the President threatened citizens that, if they come with a bullet, they would be met with a bullet.
This statement, made amid the ongoing hunger, starvation, and economic devastation facing our nation, is deeply troubling. Notwithstanding, the APC is confident that the people of Sierra Leone understand that the ballot is mightier than the bullet.
Instead of fostering unity and offering words of encouragement to his people, President Bio has chosen to use incendiary and threatening language. Such thetoric further divides our nation, which is highly detrimental to the social fabric of Sierra Leone.
The APC wishes to remind the public of the Agreement for National Unity, which contains a mutual condemnation of hate speech and violence. This agreement, signed by both the SLPP led Government and the APC, states: “𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙖 𝙇𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙋𝘾 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙩 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 (𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚), 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚.”
The acts and words of President Bio are ill-advised and unfortunate. The leaders of both the APC and the SLPP Government should be diligently working to bring together the nation and foster peace. During these difficult circumstances, it is crucial that we give utmost importance to the unity and coherence of our nation. The APC reaffirms its unwavering dedication to the fundamental tenets of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. We oppose the utilization of governmental authority to coerce, persecute, or unlawfully confine individuals on the grounds of their political convictions or associations. The government should halt these unjustified steps and focus on fostering authentic dialogue and reconciliation, in accordance with the Bintumani Agreement, to guarantee the political stability and peace of Sierra Leone.
We implore all citizens of Sierra Leone to maintain composure and concentration, and to allow the tripartite committee to proceed with its crucial tasks, while patiently awaiting its ultimate findings. The APC maintains optimism that President Bio would collaborate with the APC in the endeavor to unify our citizens and guide the nation towards a tranquil and prosperous future.
𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧:
𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒂 𝑫𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒖𝒚𝒂
𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍
