With Amadu Daramy in Maryland, USA (F. M. ‘DOWNBELOW’ 99.99)
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma arrested ‘Upabove’
Here is the news read by Alex Terena and Maada Makarr Swaray but first the news headlines.
The Chief Executive Officer of Radio ‘Downbelow’ 99.99, Dr. Phillip Neville said in a press conference yesterday that his new radio station is here to stay and that the television station will also be launched next week.
Veteran journalist and former producer of ‘Aw di go di go’ fame on the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, Jonathan Jarrett will soon join us from ‘Upabove.’
Ex-APC Secretary-General, Hon. Edward Turay has paid a courtesy visit to former President Siaka P. Stevens at his No. 11 ‘Downbelow’ Street residence in Downtown.
Journalists pay a courtesy call to former President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.
Now for the news in detail.
Veteran journalist and producer of the popular Krio Program ‘Aw di go dae go’ fame, Jonathan Jarret has informed the CEO of Radio FM ‘Downbelow’ 99.99, Dr. Phillip Neville that he will soon join his colleagues from ‘upabove.’
In a telephone conversation with Phillip Neville, Jonathan Jarrett disclosed that an attempted coup d’état occurred in the early hours of November 26th 2023, that many arrests have been made and that former President Ernest Bai Koroma has been named and also arrested as a suspect.
Jarrett also said that the country is gradually returning to normal as the curfew has been lifted, that the APC party has issued a press release condemning the attempted coup and denying having any knowledge in it.
He further discussed that over 15 soldiers were killed during the security breach as was pronounced by the Maada Bio Administration but that the security breach was later described as an attempted coup.
Former APC Secretary-General, who was also a Member of Parliament, Hon. Edward Turay, has visited former President Dr. Siaka Probyn Stevens during which they discussed the 2023 general elections.
Hon. Turay said that during his meeting with Dr. Siaka Stevens, he asked about the 24th June 2023 elections and which party he thought won the elections.
Hon. Turay informed Dr. Stevens that he was on his way to ‘Downbelow’, but that from the looks of things, the SLPP party was well-organized to win the elections. Pa Sheki said, “I wrote an article about the APC Presidential Candidate Samura Kamara that he will lose the elections but that most members of the party disagreed with his views.”
He recalled that former President Ernest Bai Koroma proclaimed himself Life Chairman of the APC Party, that the party is now divided into camps even before the elections and that rumors intimated that the SLPP won the 2023 General elections which he would will confirm with journalist Phillip Neville tomorrow.
According to Hon. Edie Turay, “one more thing, Pa Sheki, I wrote an article ‘upabove’. It a different story for elections now. The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Bio changed the trajectory of the campaign strategy and I think it was her ideas that made it possible for the SLPP to win the elections. For example, she introduced music and dancing during campaigning in addition to her attractive attires that fascinated youths and even elders. Her Hands Off Our Girls Campaign, distribution of free sanitary pads to girl pupils, protection of women and girls and love for those in the entertainment industry also helped to boost the morale and popularity of the SLPP. President Maada Bio himself also danced and entertained his supporters with jokes while our party, the APC used all sorts of abusive ‘mammy cuss cuss’ and invectives against the SLPP throughout the campaign.”
Journalists Olu Gordon, Gbondima Gbondo, Osman Ben-Kargbo and Chernor Ojuku Sesay yesterday paid a courtesy call to former President Alhaji Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.
During their meeting, former President Kabba asked about the 2023 general elections which Gbondima Gbondo categorically confirmed was won by President Maada Bio but that the APC Presidential Candidate Samura Kamara never conceded defeat let alone congratulate President Julius Maada Bio up to this moment.
Chernor Ojuku Sesay informed former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah that he is no longer a member of the APC simply because the party denied him the party symbol to contest the 2018 general elections.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, December 27th, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)