‘2012 is a Referendum’- Moijueh Kaikai

Concord Times (Freetown)

Alusine Sesay

2 June 2011

Freetown — Resident minister south has averred that the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections in the country will be a referendum with his ruling All People’s Congress (APC) having a smooth sail to power.

Moijueh Kaikai made this assertion based on the votes recorded by the APC in the just concluded local by-election in the Kailahun district, an area regarded as a traditional stronghold of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

It could be recalled that the ruling APC put up a strong showing in Kailahun district during last Saturday’s polls, and according to provisional results, the APC candidate pulled 1,285 votes while the SLPP candidate – who eventually won the contest – recorded 1,953 votes. With a difference of 668 votes, the Resident minister believes the results were a source of hope for the APC camp and conversely, an embarrassment for the SLPP, which he said had hoped for a better performance in their stronghold.

“The result should not be a surprise to the nation because President Ernest Bai Koroma is one of the Sierra Leonean leaders who fully recognize the district in terms of development and appointment in governance,” Kaikai noted.

According to him, the APC was the only party that has elevated the status of parliamentarians and that most MPs might only fight to maintain their seats in parliament while at the same time vote for Mr. Koroma for the presidency come 2012.

The former deputy minister of Labour described President Koroma as a consistent and visionary leader and one that was sensitive to the needs and aspirations of Sierra Leoneans.

“With all the on-going infrastructural development in the country, I have no iota of doubt that the people will see reason to overwhelmingly vote for the APC party come 2012,” Kaikai maintained.

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