The acting national publicity secretary of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party has again clearly stated that his party is people-focused, as they always run a government that seeks the interest of the people of Sierra Leone.Alhaji Sidi Yahya Tunis, who was responding to questions from Radio Democracy FM 98.1 Good Morning Salone programme, on Thursday 21 April 2022, said an APC-led  government always put the people first as they seek  the interest of Sierra Leoneans more than any other government does.

He said while they always go the extra mile to shoulder or incur substantial economic burden on behalf of the people in order to cushion, say, the effects of price rise of essential commodities like petroleum products and other food items, other administrations like the SLPP-led government would relieve themselves of such economic pressure and release it on the shoulder and heads of the people. This, he said, is what has led to the sharp and rapid rise of prices of goods and services in the country the people are presently struggling with.

Mr Tunis said the APC would always consider the plight and suffering of the people hence they would work so hard and try their level best to alleviate the enormous economic pressure and burden of the people by taking it upon themselves as a government, thereby curtailing national hardship and poverty.

The current government, he said, would always do the opposite by dodging the national economic burden and pressure and pushing or releasing it on the people. “Today, prices of commodities and cost of services are rising rapidly, which is causing serious hardship and increasing poverty in the country,” he said.

The Masses don’t think as Alpha Kanu and Victor Foh think

The soft but firm spokesman of the APC party expressed wishes of good riddance to defected APC members like Victor Foh and Alpha Kanu, who are now strong bedfellows of the SLPP-led government and their leader President Maada Bio, saying the turning of their backs on the APC and giving of their support and allegiance to the SLPP-led government is a show of their democratic right and freedom to choose, join and belong to any party, group or movement of their choice. “They are also free to state their views on issues such as saying that the SLPP has done well and has brought free education to the people of Sierra Leone hence the SLPP are better than other parties,” Mr Tunis notes, saying: “We believe that the people of this country think not as Apha Kanu and Victor Foh think. Alpha Kanu and Victor Foh are well-to-do so they don’t feel the pain or economic hardship the people of this country are currently undergoing. The masses of the people of this country are presently undergoing excruciating hardship and suffering under this government. Under the current SLPP Government, the economic condition of the people has gone worse as the prices of commodities, foodstuffs and cost of services continue to rise every day to the detriment of the people. Every day the people are experiencing price rise in almost every service and good or product, such as petroleum products, transport fare, rice, cement, oil, sugar and flour and other foodstuffs and essential items. Because the people are feeling the pinch of the bad economic policies of this SLPP Government, they are definitely not thinking as Alpha Kanu and Victor Foh think. Hence the people want a change.”

The APC it must be noted is a people-centred party, he said, adding that the APC would always try very hard to mitigate the economic burden of the people, by shouldering some of the burden as it is a people -centred party or government because “we love and feel for the people hence we try to aid them to continue with their daily survival and development strides. In sharp contrast to the APC, Mr Tunis noted, this SLPP government would try to remove the economic burden of nation-building off their shoulder and release it on the head or shoulder of the people, as they have done with the fuel price rise crisis. Hence today that single act of pushing such a burden on the public has led to the people experiencing rapid rise in prices of virtually every commodity and services in the country. And this has also led to serious hardship and increasing poverty in the country.

The new appointment of EBK

The APC Acting-National Publicity Secretary also aptly responded to the question of the appointment of the APC outgoing Chairman and Leader, former President Koroma, by saying that the former president had been appointed to serve as the Chairman of the African Union due to the brilliant and sound record of leadership and democratic values he demonstrated and upheld in the service of his nation Sierra Leone. His respect for rule of law, human rights and democracy even after his terms as president of this country, Mr Tunis said, attracted the admiration of people including world leaders, which brought about his appointment to such an enviable international job to serve as the Chairman of the African Union.

The APC spokesperson also said EBK’s appointment to serve in such a capacity at the international stage is pride for Sierra Leone and her people; hence all should applause and wish the former president well in his new appointment.

EBK’s legacy

The good work and legacy of Ernest Bai Koroma, Mr Tunis says, will forever be remembered not only by the people of Sierra Leone and the APC party, but also by the people of Africa and the world, such as the people of Zambia, the Gambia and other parts of the world he has made and continues to make an imprint as he carries on with his international appointment or calling.

APC’s next set of executive

Veering unto issues relating to the next set of executive of the APC party, Mr Tunis said that save for some court issues and procedures which the party is trying to resolve in a short while, the APC is fully ready to kick-start its political activities as recently outlined.

He says the APC is alive and kicking and stands ready to put together a formidable executive that will take the party from success to success and ensure that they win the upcoming national elections slated for 24 June 2023.

Once the NRM-Peter Conteh court matter is finally settled, the APC party would hit the ground running to get a solid new breed of executive members who will oversee the affairs of the party and carry it forward for the betterment of all, Mr Tunis assures.