Sierra Leoneโs 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 Peopleโs Congress (APC) ahead of the partyโs primaries in preparation for the countryโs June 2023 general elections.
โI 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,โ the former Ambassador told a cheering crowd at the partyโs district headquarters in Pujehun Town on Saturday; adding that: โI believe the time has come for me to step up.โ
With the party seemingly disunited, Mr Golley believes that he can bring the APC party and its supporters together and also lead the country. โThis 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,โ according to him.
He said he is an experienced peacemaker and unifier. He added: โI 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.โ He said this is the reason why his campaign message is โForward Together,โ because unity is the most important quality required of our flag bearer. โOnly if the APC is united will we defeat the current President,โ he noted.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Golley revealed the sacrifices he has made for his country. โTwo decades ago, in our darkest times, I put myself at great personal risk to help bring peace to our countryโฆ I then served as an Ambassador for our nation, working to strengthen the fragile peace we had won, securing investment and resources for our nationโs development and building Sierra Leoneโs reputation across the world,โ 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: โI 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.โ