Concord Times (Freetown)
Ben Samuel Turay
22 June 2009
Freetown — National president of the students' wing of the People's Movement for Democratic Change, PMDC has expressed his group's determination to support the current leader's bid for the party flag-bearer position in the forthcoming convention slated for next month in the eastern district headquarter town of Kenema.
Emmanuel Bawoh told Concord Times that the wing was formed by students who are supporters of the PMDC with the objective to monitor activities within the party and also to advise all aspirants for the position of flag-bearer as well as other top positions.
"For any political party to succeed in an election the leadership should command the support of the people. People should be satisfied with their flag-bearer before they could vote for him. With that, he stands a chance of winning any election," Bawoh said, adding that the wing will be targeting students from all over the country to chart the way forward for the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The PMDC students' wing was incepted in 2007. Last week, few of the members made a tour to Kenema, Bo, Port Loko and Makeni to talk to their colleague students in those areas about the party's ideology and the need for them to support the positive change campaign.
"Some people fully know they are not fit to vie for certain positions but they still go for them just to cause problems for the party and tarnish its image. The wing will be advising those party members who they believe do not have the wherewithal to contest for certain positions to abandon the idea and leave the race to those who can win the party more votes. Leadership goes with charisma and finesse and this is why we believe Charles Margai should be given another chance," he said.
Bawoh said the youths are very important within the ranks of the PMDC as they are the future leaders of the country. He voiced the group's determination to educate colleague supporters about the importance of democracy, the rule of law and national development, adding that it is important for students to start practicing politics at an early age as that would enable them become good politicians.
Bawoh is a second year student in the faculty of Social Science and Law, Fourah Bay College, FBC.
Another member of the wing, Morlai Kamara of the Freetown College of Management and Accountancy said there was need to admonish all PMDC members vying for senior positions within the party.
According to him, most political parties fail during elections because less popular candidates with little following are favoured against the popular ones.
Kamara urged the party hierarchy to strengthen its activities in the northern part of the country to increase their support base. "We are not only interested in seeing the outcome of the contest for the flag-bearer position but all other positions as well, since they are also important," he said.
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