Forty-eight members of the People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) last Saturday staged a walkout during the party's convention held in Makeni after a motion was tabled for the constitution of the party to be amended and the leadership election deferred to 2011 instead of April 2009.

PMDC's publicity secretary, Mohamed Bangura told journalists at a press conference hosted yesterday at the party's Hannah Benka-Coker Street that the delegates walked out because of a motion he re-presented during the convention.

Bangura said the 48 members included the party's treasurer, Femi Hebron and one of the candidates contesting for the leadership, Dauda 'Tombo' Bangura.

"Dauda Bangura took an active role during the process of the convention but to his dismay when the time came for voting either for or against the motion they walked out. They are cowards," he claimed.

Bangura said when he first presented the motion it was kicked against by his party's leader, Charles Margai but supported by four other members.

He said after serious deliberations it was agreed that the motion was to be voted for.

"Out of 200 delegates, 148 voted for, four against and 48 walked out," he explained.

The motion however, he said, was sustained and the leadership contest would be held in 2011 in Makeni, adding that all other positions would be contested for at the party's delegates' conference April 6-11 2009.

"I want unity in the party so that more members would come on board," he said.

Meanwhile, Bangura used the occasion to declare his intention to run for the chairmanship of the party in the upcoming convention slated for April 2009.