By Donstance Koroma

Reliable information reaching FORUM NEWS has it that the former opposition leader, Hon. Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah and the current Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Abdul Kargbo recently met with the Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Rt. Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu at his chamber in parliament. The reason for their visit was to ensure that Hon. Abdul Kargbo as Leader of the Opposition be incorporated on the list of opposition APC MPs as one of the members of the ECOWAS Parliament, FORUM NEWS was last informed.

Upon disclosure of their purpose of visit, the Speaker, Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu wasted no time but immediately summoned the ECOWAS Speaker, Hon. Mohamed Tunis to his chamber for what an urgent meeting and updated him about the former leader of the opposition’s visit and the reason that accompanied him.

Upon his arrival, FORUM NEWS sources revealed that a meeting between the ECOWAS Speaker, Hon. Mohamed Tunis, and the Speaker of Sierra Leone’s Parliament, Hon Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu, the former leader of the opposition in the Fifth parliament, Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah and the current opposition leader of the Sixth Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo on the subject matter.

During the said engagement in the chamber of the Speaker of Sierra Leone’s parliament, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament counted it all joy for a platform of such nature to naturally constituted itself that gives him the opportunity to lay to rest or justify the issue in connection with Hon. Mohamed Bangura as member of the ECOWAS Parliament and its realities.

The ECOWAS Speaker, Hon. Mohamed Tunis disclosed to both former and current leaders of the opposition that just after the 2023 elections, the secretary of the ECOWAS Parliament wrote to all member states that has just conducted their elections to submit the names of MPs that will represent Sierra Leone at the ECOWAS Parliament with a deadline date, FORUM NEWS inside source states.

As the deadline date was drawing closer, I personally took my phone and started calling the contacts of APC MPs that were in the Fifth Parliament that also made it to the sixth parliament encouraging them to come to parliament and perform their constitutional duties, but noted that his appeal fall on duck back, Forum source quoted ECOWAS Speaker saying during the meeting.

As the deadline for the submission of names was approaching, ECOWAS Speaker told both former and current opposition leaders that he was left with no option but to do with what was available then, Hon. Mohamed Bangura from the opposition side who he said was acting as opposition leader in all of the sitting held since the commencement of the life of the sixth parliament, inside source whispered to FORUM NEWS.

The ECOWAS Speaker categorically told the former and current opposition leaders that it will be difficult to overturn such as decision, on the grounds that the decision was based on national and not party interests, Forum inside source hinted.

According to Forum’s inside source, Hon. Mohamed Bangura served the ECOWAS Speaker from grave embarrassment , on the grounds that as current speaker of the ECOWAS to have not met the deadline date for the submission of Sierra Leone MP names for the ECOWAS Parliament.

Forum inside further relay the ECOWAS Speaker respect and appreciation to Hon. Mohamed Bangura owing to the fact it was due to Hon. Bangura involvement into the governance of the State that the government of President Bio started gaining recognition.

Regardless of Hon. Bangura’s absence in recent sitting does not debar him from being a member of the ECOWAS Parliament and chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Regardless of the his sidelining by APC party , SLPP MPs continues to respect and appreciation Hon. Bangura for his role played in ensuring that the government of President Bio gain recognition by regionally and internationally, thereby making him a very nut to crack.

The Hon. Mohamed Bangura, since the returned of 52 APC MPs to parliament, Hon. Bangura and Hon. Thompson stopped attending parliament as a result of the APC party’s decision to suspend the two for what the party termed as anti-party activities by both opposition MPs.