First Published in our January 16th &17th Edition
Â
Maada Bio has been repeating all the steps by Charles Margai that preceded the formation of the PMDC in 2005. Since he launched his Campaign, it has been with a slogan of No Maada; No SLPP.
At various points in time, he has been utilising blackmailing tactics and intimating of dire consequences should he lose the Flag-Bearer contest. However, does Maada Bio really love the SLPP? Let’s see.
Â
On September 20th 2007, three (3) days after APC took over, a report was filed from State House authored by Sorie Sudan Sesay that Maada Bio and Tom Nyuma had visited State House to “beg for mercy” from President Koroma for what was termed as their ‘crimes’ against the APC.
Followed by this, Maada Bio was included in at least one of President Koroma’s overseas entourage [to Burkina Faso on January 17th 2008]. The two men (Maada and Ernest) are good friends which is all fine and good but what is not good is that as I write this piece in January 2011, since September 2007 when he went to “beg for mercy” until date, Maada Bio has never given any voice interview in which he has spoken out against the ills of the current APC or any of the excesses of President Koroma. Even Charles Margai has criticised the APC but NEVER has Maada Bio opened his mouth to publicly voice out condemnation for Ernest Koroma or APC Government!
Â
When the SLPP girls were gang-raped and the SLPP Party Offices were invaded by Leatherboot and others, Maada Bio never made even a whimper of protest. Through-out the last few years of all the excesses of the APC, we have never heard a single interview over the radio or in newspapers by Maada Bio speaking out his actual voice against the APC.
Rather than that, it was the APC itself which has been campaigning for Maada Bio by having Alpha Kanu and I.B. Kargbo going to Maada Bio’s website and mentioning the contents there as if there were no other SLPP websites with contents against the APC; the intent was to give the impression to gullible SLPP members that APC was rattled by one weakly-written article on Maada Bio’s website.
The truth is that the APC badly wants Mr. Maada Bio to win the March 5th 2011 upcoming Flagbearer Elections so they can kick the SLPP chances for 2012 around like a football on a field. If Maada Bio does not get the Flagbearer position, the alternative my APC sources tell me, is to move to Plan ‘B’ which is the No Maada Bio; No SLPP scenario whereby Maada Bio will move to APC or join the new UDM party of Mohamed Bangura or form his own party and hopefully go with his supporters.
Â
Should APC predictions come true; Maada Bio decides to quit SLPP, will SLPP supporters of Maada Bio repeat History and go along like sheep like they did with Charles Margai? Only time will tell.
POLICE PROTECTING MAADA BIO
The Sierra Leone Police has been investigating the allegations complained to them by numerous journalists against Maada Bio and his supporters. I have deliberately refused to interfere or ask questions in order to quietly monitor how much support Maada Bio has within APC as the Police is an extension of APC Government.
It has been a spectacular revelation to see Sierra Leone Police take down all Statements including from Court officials/Uniformed Senior Police Inspectors who witnessed the attack on Bampia James Bundu by Maada Bio’s thugs inside Law Court and yet, as of last Friday[January 14th], one of the police officers involved in the investigations has confessed to me that because Maada Bio seems to have some deep connections with the APC Government, the hands of the Police are tied right now from taking the matter further. Wow!
If there was any evidence that the APC clearly wants Maada Bio to emerge the winner, there can be none more glaring than this one. Imagine speed with which Police charged Kadi Johnson-Cole to court for alleged larceny of a remote control device worth less than 5 dollars & Dr. Soyei was charged for alleged larceny of two trips of sand.
STRONG MINING COMPANY BACKING
Additionally, not only does Maada Bio enjoy the support of the ruling APC Government but he also enjoys the support (and possible financial backing) of a certain mining company strongly linked to Ernest Koroma who all want Maada Bio to win the March 5 Elections so the APC can walk all over the SLPP in 2012. My investigations indicate that there are 21 elected officials currently in the pocket of this Mining Company who are all being played to sell the interest of the SLPP and promote Maada Bio in order to boost the APC’s chances come 2012.