The opposition Sierra Leone People Party (SLPP) has been left in an apparent state of dismay. Their plans to discredit President of Sierra Leone Ernest Koroma have not yielded dividends. SLPP which had been running out of ideas to use to discredit the President and his ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) had latched on to recent matter of former Vice-President Sam-Sumana losing his Office, to be a means of demonising the popular President Koroma. SLPP claims the new Vice-President Victor Foh has been appointed to replace Sumana in an ‘unconstitutional’ manner; despite evidence otherwise.

Past weekend, SLPP and Sumana supporters, staged a rally at environs of the White House. The APC also staged a well-attended counter-rally but the SLPP had been with the hope that their rally will give a boost to their efforts and put a damper on anticipated arrival of President Koroma to Washington DC.

However, in sharp contrast of their expectations, according to a close political ally of the President, Dr. Sylvia Blyden, “the kind of warm welcome that the President received on this trip from the airport to his hotel is unlike any I have ever seen and I have travelled with the President many times in the past”.

“I can only say the SLPP and Sam-Sumana have lost face in their efforts. And for that, as we say in our local parlance, this is a matter of ‘BABOO YAI OH’ for them as they cannot touch the credentials of President Ernest Bai Koroma!” said Dr. Blyden on the phone line from Washington DC last evening.

Dr. Blyden, who is the Publisher of this newspaper, flew out of Lungi Airport on the same flight as the President on Sunday and she will be covering the trip with exclusive angles for this newspaper.