BY KABS KANU :
The dashing and eloquent Secretary General, Mr. Alimamy Turay, yesterday became the new President of the All People’s Congress (APC ) New Jersey Chapter after what was roundly commended as credible and democratic elections held at the East Franklin Township Firehouse in Somerset, New Jersey.
ALIMAMY TURAY
THE NEW EXECUTIVE
OUTGOING PRESIDENT PAVI JALLOH HANDING OVER DOCUMENTS TO INCOMING PRESIDENT ALIMAMY TURAY
APC NEW JERSEY MEMBERS AT THE ELECTION YESTERDAY
It was barely 4 pm on a bright but nippy Sunday afternoon when members of the ruling party in the Garden State started arriving at the Firehouse to take part in the New Jersey APC Chapter elections, other states in the continental USA having conducted their own elections previously ahead of the APC North America delegates conference scheduled for the end of this month.
The Chairman of the interim Elections Commission, Mr. Foday Mansaray, and the other commissioners Dr. Abdul Rahman Kamara and Mr. John Samba arrived well ahead of time to set the vote machinery in progress. They were followed by the elections observers Minister Plenipotentiary to the UN , Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu and the Chairman of the Western Area, Freetown Chapter of the APC, Comrade Alhassan Cole. The contestants of the various positions and the outgoing executive also arrived and took their seats. It was a very important chapter elections as the APC democratically tightens its leadership hold over Sierra Leone.
THE CHAIR OF THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION, MR. FODAY MANSARAY, TAKING HIS TIME TO EXPLAIN THE ELECTORAL PROCEDURES
ELECTIONS COMMISSIONERS JOHN SAMBA ( IN BLUE ) AND ABDUL RAHMAN KAMARA TAKING THEIR TIME TO CLARIFY A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE WITH APC ELDER AMARA KALAWA. ELECTIONS OBSERVER MR. ALHASSAN COLE LATER SAID : THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL DEMOCRACY. EVERYBODY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FREELY EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS”.
THE OUTGOING EXECUTIVE AND ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS
The elections commissioners took their time to explain all the elections criteria and procedures which were according to standard democratic principles and the bye-laws of the APC New Jersey Chapter. Contentious concerns by some of the members were adequately addressed by the commissioners who were striving to ensure that everybody was satisfied with the process. Where more light had to be thrown into an issue in accordance with the general byelaws of the APC National, the knowledge of Pa Alhassan Cole was tapped upon. Their efforts paid off as they ended up conducting one of the most free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful elections in the APC Branch in America. At the end of the process, the following executive was elected by New Jersey yesterday.
- PRESIDENT : Alimamy Turay
- VICE-PRESIDENT : Ibrahim Coulson Mansaray
- SECRETARY GENERAL : Muctarr Bah
- ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL : David Bomboli Mansaray
- FINANCIAL SECRETARY : Sulaiman Kargbo
- TREASURER : Francis Sieh Kanu
- ORGANIZING /SOCIAL SECRETARY : Donald Cline-Thomas
The positions of Women’s and Youth Leader were not contested because there are no aspirants as yet . The incoming executive was mandated to conduct elections for the two positions later.
The newly-elected President, Mr. Alimamy Turay , assured partisans that he will provide a leadership with commitment , in accordance with the byelaws and the tenets of democracy. He said that his political track record shows that he has the quality to lead. He promised to increase the participation of women and youths and will help to raise funds for the North American Branch and the national branch in Freetown. Assuring one and all that he and his executive will work to make the APC attractive abroad and in Sierra Leone, Mr. Turay called for unity within the rank and file of the party and promised to help pursue the Agenda For Prosperity. He thanked members of the outgoing executive for their work and called for loyalty and mutual respect among members.
The outgoing President, Mr. Pavi Jalloh, thanked his executive and advisory board for their cooperation in helping his administration achieve its many goals which has earned his executive the reputation of being very successful .He enumerated all the programs that the APC NJ participated in, including the many demonstrations staged to counter the self-styled Concerned Citizens and the fight to defeat Ebola in Sierra Leone.
The Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Foday Mansaray thanked members for their cooperation in making the mission of the Commission successful. The other Commissioners, Mr. John Samba and Dr. Abdul Rahman Kamara also commended members for their cooperation while Dr. Kamara praised the APC for having committed members.
Mr. Alhassan Cole said : “This is what you call democracy,” and everybody left the hall thankful for the very youthful and vibrant-looking executive that had been elected . The future looks bright for New Jersey.
