Sierra Leone Peoples Party North America Reelects Dr. Lawrence Sandi as Chairman

SLPPNA Chairman
Dr. Lawrence Sandi

The incumbent Chairman of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party North America (SLPPNA), Dr. Lawrence Sandi fought back a determined challenge from Mrs. Seray Dumbuya, the wife of former SLPP presidential aspirant Mr. Umaru Dumbuya, to recapture the leadership of SLPP's formidable North America region.

Mrs Seray Dumbuya

Mrs. Dumbuya was until the last few weeks a very serious contender for the regional leadership position, causing much discomfort within the Sandi support group, until a recording of her trying to influence the regional secretary generalship position along factional lines was made public.  This caused many independent members to question the veracity of the statements by her field agents that she was not tied to any faction within SLPP.

Mrs. Dumbuya was the former SLPPNA electoral commissioner who skillfully presided over peaceful elections in the party a few years ago that led to the election of Lawrence Sandi as Chairman of the region. Initially during the campaign, Mrs. Dumbuya's surrogates effectively convinced members of the region that she was politically neutral and belonged to no camp. Many people who were simply tired of the campism in the party along flag bearer candidate lines quickly gravitated to her message of inclusiveness.  Mrs. Dumbuya promised to make the region strong and independent of factional interests. Some people also took into consideration the long service of the Dumbuya family to the  Sierra Leone Peoples Party.  Initially some people tried to tie Mrs. Dumbuya to the Maada Bio paOpa support group in USA, but her surrogates were quick to suggest that there was no link to the camp and some of her supporters were known to support other flagbearer aspirants like Allie Kabba and Alpha Timbo

Unopposed Women's Leader
Kadie Ballah Jalloh

Unfortunately, a few days ago, Mrs. Dumbuya had a damaging Donald Trump moment. Somebody apparently close to her campaign forwarded a message in which she was heard proposing a clandestine meeting between two candidates vying for the position of Secretary General to gang up against another who was seeing as belonging to another flagbearer camp. This recording seriously undermined Mrs. Dumbuya's claim of factional neutrality and probably dealt a fatal blow to her campaign. 

Chaplain Rev. Titus Gebeh

In the election held today in the city of brotherly love Philadelphia, Dr. Lawrence Sandi who has been accused of being a KKY supporter, a charge has vociferously denied, won a resounding second term mandate by a convincing 69% to Mrs. Dumbuya's 30%.  Most of the candidates who were seen as belonging to Dr. Sandi's support group also won their contests handily.

Imam Alpha Saidu Bangura
(Me Salone Fambul Dem)

Lawrence Sandi, a young calm and affable intellectual type, has brought some element of stability to a region renowned for political intrigue and infighting. He is seen as a steady hand.

The new SLPPNA executive for the coming two years would be:

Chairman: Dr. Lawrence Sandi

Vice Chairman: Mrs Martha Bah Tsagli

Secretary General: Mr. Emmanuel Allie

Deputy Secretary General: Mr. Algasimu Bah

Women's Leader: Mrs Kadie Ballah Jalloh

Deputy Women's Leader: Mrs. Namisa Kramer

Financial Secretary: Mr.Gbonda Sei

Organizing Secretary: Mr. Ishmael Taylor Kamara

Deputy Organizing Secretary: Mr. Frank Kpewa

Deputy Secretary: Desmond Pessima

Imam: Alpha Saidu Bangura

Internal Auditor: Maada S. Jusu

Whip: Bobor Bayoh

Chaplain: Rev. Titus Gebeh

Sec Gen Women's Wing: Ann-Marie Williams

Young Generation Leader: Mohamed Bah

Young Generation Sec. Gen: Hindolo Barnett

Dep. Fin Sec. Young Gen: Alhaji Koita

Council of Elders

Dr. Josephine Ladipo

Mr. Samuel SAIDU

Mrs. Fatmata Kamara

Dr. Lahai Rogers

Mrs. Rugiatu Saffa