WE YONE, the official mouthpiece of the ruling All People’s Congress ( APC ) has written a front page report clarifying that none of the party’s presidential aspirants has been disqualified as being touted by some errant Sierra Leone newspapers.
Two weeks ago, the APC announced that the National Delegates Conference where the party’s 2018 Presidential Candidate will be elected will take place in Makeni city from the 5th to 6th September 2017.
A resolution was also adopted that the current Chairman and Leader of the party, His Excellency President Dr. Koroma continues in that position in order to continue serving as a symbol of unity and peaceful transition of leadership in the party.
The party also announced the criteria for becoming presidential flagbearer for the APC.
The APC also decided that National Executive Officers must have served at regional, district or constituency level to be qualified for selection or election. They must be paid-up and active in the last 10 years and paid up for 7 years. They will sign an undertaking to support whoever is selected or endorsed as presidential flag bearer. They must have institutional knowledge of the party. They must satisfy the appropriate sections in the 1991 Constitution, 2012 Elections Act and the Political Parties Registration Act.
Because of these criteria, some newspapers and social media analysts began speculating that some presidential aspirants have been subtly disqualified.
They were wrong , because the present aspirants are believed to satisfy all the criteria. And it is good that the party has clearly clarified the matter to ensure that the issue is clearly understood.
The Secretary General of the APC, Ambassador Osman Yansaneh, has also clarified that the none of the criteria relates to the choice of flagbearer . 
Every aspirant , as at now, stands a good chance to clinch the presidential flagbearership.
