By Foday Moriba Conteh
It was indeed a remarkable sight, an earth-shattering and exciting episode at the Attuga Mini Stadium in the East End of Freetown on the 18th March, 2023 when the former Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, officially declared her intention to rerun as Mayor of the Freetown Municipality.
Before the entrance of Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and her entourage at the Atuga Mini Stadium the field was already jam-packed with crowd of people from all walks of life in their red outfits or attire, noisy as music was blasting from loud speakers and people were seen chatting in various groups.
As she landed from her vehicle at the field, the crowd went wild as it shouted from all the corners of the field “5 More to do More” as the woman of the moment waved on to the crowd.
The Newly Elected Deputy Regional Chairman Western Region, Hon. Alhassan Cole told the crowd that the former Mayor, Aki-Sawyer, worked under the most difficult moments but stated how amidst all the challenges she faced she was able to deliver.
He said that the level of intimidation the Mayor faced was visible but said she was able to stand tall and surmount those intimidating moments to deliver to the people of this country in the last five years.
The Deputy Regional Chairman used the opportunity to encourage all to vote Dr. Samura Kamara as President of Sierra Leone, Aki-Sawyerr as Mayor of Freetown Municipality come June 24th 2023.
Representing Dr. Samura Kamara, the Flagbearer of APC at the ceremony, the Newly Elected Deputy Chairman of APC Veteran National, Dr. Sam Sesay said that Freetonians don’t need to look afar in order to know the fittest candidate for the mayoral position of the Freetown Municipality as all can testify that Aki-Sawyerr is the most competent candidate for that position.
“Freetownians I believe you don’t want to start all over again by bringing another person to occupy the position, vote Aki-Sawyerr as Mayor of Freetown Municipality come June 24, 2023 she has started the transformation of Freetown Municipality, give her more 5 years in order for her to complete her unfinished work as Mayor,” he pleaded.
Dr. Sam Sesay said that come June 24th 2023 Dr. Samura Kamara and Chernor Maju Bah will march to State House as President and Vice President and with Aki-Sawyerr as Mayor of Freetown, adding that with this team on the helm of affairs of the country, the country will become a better place for all.
Addressing the gathering, the former Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said with her tenure as Mayor of Freetown she has brought a lot of development to the city, adding that some of those developments are unfinished but said when her party (All People’s Congress “APC”) comes to power in June 2023 and she has been elected as Mayor of Freetown most of her incomplete works will be completed.
She expressed appreciation to God Almighty, the APC party, Mayor Delivery Unit, Councilors, and all staff of the Freetown City Council for supporting her during her tenure as Mayor of Freetown for the past five years.
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr explained the process, noting that, the people will not see pictures of their councilors or MPs rather they will only see the faces of the presidential candidates and the mayoral candidates of which she encouraged them to vote for Dr. Samara Kamara as President of Sierra Leone and her, as Mayor of Freetown, come June 24th 2023.
Aki-Sawyerr said the APC is a peaceful and nonviolent party.
She said that she disagrees with violence and intimidation, stating that she disagrees with the uneven distribution of justice maintaining how this is a free country and that should be seen practiced at all sectors
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr informed the gathering that they were asked to vacate office and according to the law, they should have left on April 25th, 2023, but to maintain the peace they left before that date. She said such has even given them chance to plan and get themselves well prepared as well as ready for the June 24 elections.
“Today I come before you all as your sister and daughter to inform you all that I am declaring my intention to be re-elected as Mayor for the Freetown City Council. I need you all support me in that vein. I also want to inform you all that my Deputy Mayor is Kweku Lisk, ” she concluded.
