Sierra Leone: Secretary General of The Ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) Osman Yansaneh Reveals When The Party Will Hold Convention

The Secretary General of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) party, Ambassador Osman F. Yansaneh, has reacted to a letter written by one Vandy Konneh asking for the party secretariat to call for a national convention to choose new officers including the flag-bearer for the next general elections.

Konneh himself is eyeing Yansaneh’s seat, and is saying that the convention should be convened ‘as expected or slated in the party 1995 constitution’, which some interpret as one year before the next elections.

In an exclusive telephone interview with The Torchlight, Ambassador Yansaneh said Mr. Konneh was showing that he was not fully au fait with the resolutions taken by the 2013 National Delegates Conference which clearly stated that the next convention will “be held within 12 months of the 2017/2018 General Elections and that all elected officials stay in post until then.”

Asked to elaborate further on this resolution of the Miatta Conference Centre convention, Ambassador Yansaneh said “It’s very clear. The operative word here is ‘within’. The resolution said within 12 months. It did not say 12 months before. Therefore this means the convention could be held five months or even three months before the elections.”

Certainly, when The Torchlight laid hands on the ‘Report of the National Delegates Conference of the All Peoples Congress (APC)’ held at Miatta Conference Centre from Wednesday 1st to Saturday 4th May 2013, it was found out that the resolution in question (on page 12) was moved by Mr. Victor Bockarie Foh (who happens to be the Vice President today), “seconded by Mr. Frank Kargbo and endorsed by the National Delegates Conference.”