During his campaign in Miraykuray Town and Masiaka Town in Port Loko district on June 14th, 2023, President Julius Maada Bio challenged former President Ernest Bai Koroma and Dr. Samura Kamara to publicly denounce violent activities. This is the first time that the President has made such a strong statement and issued a stern warning to the hierarchy of the main opposition party, the All Peoples Congress (APC).
President Bio accused the APC of encouraging a widely known figure to cause chaos in the country, and he demanded that Koroma and Kamara openly dissociate themselves from the inciting and divisive remarks of this figure. He also accused Koroma and Kamara of sponsoring violent incidents in Makeni and other parts of the country, adding that he has evidence of their involvement in these incidents.
The President warned Koroma to keep off and become a statesman, or he would be reduced to nothing. He called on the paramount chiefs in the North to engage Koroma in order to encourage him to behave like a statesman. President Bio reminded people that he is campaigning on a platform of policies and good governance and not on violence and division. He called on Sierra Leoneans to be peaceful and avoid listening to the APC.
Responding to the ultimatum issued by Dr. Samura Kamara to the Commissioners of the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone (ECSL) to resign, President Bio described it as “nonsense” and stated that the APC is afraid of facing defeat.
