𝐀𝐏𝐂 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞… 𝐎𝐦𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬

Sierra Leone’s former Ambassador to the Republic of South Korea, Omrie Michael Golley has formally declared his intention to contest for the flag-bearer position of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) ahead of the party’s primaries in preparation for the country’s June 2023 general elections.

“I stand before you to announce that the time has come for me to take a more central role in building a better future for Sierra Leone,” the former Ambassador told a cheering crowd at the party’s district headquarters in Pujehun Town on Saturday; adding that: “I believe the time has come for me to step up.”

With the party seemingly disunited, Mr Golley believes that he can bring the APC party and its supporters together and also lead the country. “This is an important moment for our country and all of us. People want change, and they need someone they can trust to deliver a positive transformation of Sierra Leone,” according to him.

He said he is an experienced peacemaker and unifier. He added: ‘I will end the division in our party and bring people together. I will unite the North and South; Muslim and Christian. I will bring all our tribes and factions together.’ He said this is the reason why his campaign message is ‘Forward Together,’ because unity is the most important quality required of our flag bearer. ‘Only if the APC is united will we defeat the current President,’ he noted.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Golley revealed the sacrifices he has made for his country. “Two decades ago, in our darkest times, I put myself at great personal risk to help bring peace to our country… I then served as an Ambassador for our nation, working to strengthen the fragile peace we had won, securing investment and resources for our nation’s development and building Sierra Leone’s reputation across the world,” Mr Golley told his supporters.

Elsewhere, he said he has established agricultural projects across all corners of the country to support and educate people about modern farming techniques that deliver food security.

For his APC membership, Mr Golley said: ‘I have been with the APC since the early 1990s. I have supported the party in good times and in difficult times. I continue to support the values of the party, and I have great respect for my brothers and sisters who have already declared their candidacy for flag bearer.’