Hon. Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah, popularly known as Chericoco, the 2023 Presidential running-mate of the main opposition party All Peoples Congress (APC), has revealed that he and his team were recently hindered from accessing certain areas and chiefdoms within the Kenema District during their ongoing campaign for the upcoming June 24 general elections. The obstruction reportedly occurred due to a confrontation between them and supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples' Party (SLPP) along Hanga Road in Kenema City, as well as in other parts of the district.
Hon. Chernor Bah explained that his convoy was blocked by personnel from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and directed to take an alternate route on the designated day for APC campaigning in that region, as per the campaign timetable released by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) for the 2023 elections. Addressing his supporters during the standoff, the APC's 2023 presidential running-mate expressed his concerns about the incident and informed the SLP's higher authorities about the situation in Kenema District. He further stated that this incident has instilled fear and panic among APC members and supporters, as alleged thugs affiliated with the SLPP are reportedly resorting to using dangerous weapons to attack APC supporters.
Regrettably, Chericoco disclosed that their campaign activities were disrupted due to the denial of access to all areas and communities within the Kenema District, which they were supposed to visit as part of their campaign trail.