By COCORIOKO Reporters
President Maada Bio last weekend seemed to have pulled a fast one on his critics and detractors when he staged a successful Thank-You-tours of the opposition strongholds of Mak in the Bombali District and Magburaka in the Tonkolili District. As reports from the State House media, which we have published , indicated, surging and excited crowds of Bombali and Tonkolili residents stormed the streets and the public events to give President Bio a remarkable welcome in the heartland of the opposition All People’s Congress ( APC ).
Ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) supporters are rejoicing in the social media that detractors failed in their desires to have President Bio snubbed by disgruntled APC indigenes in Makeni and Tonkolili.
According to the SLPP Anti-Propaganda Elite Unit, “A last-ditch calculated attempt to sour the hearts and minds of the people of the north came in the form of a wicked audio, the content of which grossly hits below the nationalistic belt and disturbingly nears the knuckle.But the propagandists were shocked to the marrow when the bridge builder stormed the northern town of Makeni yesterday. His reception was absolutely colourful and record smashing. Thousands of patriotic citizens received the President with joy, fanfare and carnival to the utter resentment of the APC. The people made an emphatic statement: Bio is our President and no son of Adam will succeed in building a wall between us and the rest of the country.” The last ditch attempt being referred to pertained to appeals by APC supporters to residents of Makeni not to welcome President Bio because he has been dismissing Northerners from their jobs and appointing Mendes in their positions. Also, on the eve of the visit, President Bio has sacked 1o senior military officers, most of whom were Northerners. SLPP Supporters described these appeals as Propaganda, which they believed failed, because President Bio was given a rousing welcome in Makeni.
However, APC supporters have posted photos of green-shirted SLPP supporters cramped in trucks leaving Makeni, which seemed to sugggest that even if indigenes turned out to welcome President Bio, crowds of supporters of the SLPP also came in from Bo , Kenema and Kono to take part in the welcoming ceremonies in Makeni and Magburaka. This belief by APC supporters was further nourished by photos taken earlier in the day which showed Makeni as a ghost and deserted town, with streets empty and people seeming to have stayed home. Even the initial photos of the welcome ceremony at the Wusum Stadium showed a virtually empty field, with lots of unoccupied seats , even in the presidential pavilion.
Later though, the stadium was crowded and it seemed like the President had proved his detractors wrong by drawing an appreciable crowd, for an opposition stronghold. But as at the time of going to the press, APC supporters were still insisting that the crowds at the Wusum Stadium were imported from SLPP strongholds.
WE BRING YOU THE PHOTOS AND ASK YOU TO MAKE YOUR OWN DEDUCTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS.
WHERE ARE THE RESIDENTS OF MAKENI ? ISN’T THE PRESIDENT COMING TO VISIT THEM ?
DESERTED MAKENI TOWN LAST FRIDAY : WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE ON THE DAY THE PRESIDENT WAS PAYING AN IMPORTANT VISIT ?
BIO TAKES PARADE IN A VIRTUALLY EMPTY WUSUM STADIUM
THE WUSUM STADIUM BECOMES FULL. ARE THESE INDIGENES OR IMPORTED CROWDS ?
PRESIDENT BIO ADDRESSES A JAMMED WUSUM STADIUM
SLPP SUPPORTERS RETURNING FROM MAKENI AND MAGBURAKA
