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SLPPNA Convention 2025: Election Disputes Shake Leadership
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[Developing Story] The SLPPNA faces turmoil as election results in Arizona, Ohio, and Seattle are annulled ahead of the March 8, 2025, convention.
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Three SLPPNA chapter elections were annulled, raising allegations of manipulation by Chairman Pessima as he seeks re-election. With the March 8 convention days away, tensions mount over who will control the region’s leadership. Will democracy prevail, or is this a power grab?
SLPPNA in Crisis: Election Reruns Threaten March 8 Convention
[Developing Story] Party Leadership Faces Allegations of Manipulation
As the Sierra Leone People’s Party North America (SLPPNA) prepares for its much-anticipated March 8, 2025, convention in Houston, Texas, controversy threatens to derail the democratic process. The annulment of chapter elections in Arizona, Ohio, and Seattle by the SLPP Secretariat in Freetown has sparked an outcry from party members, many of whom see this as a calculated effort to manipulate the delegate vote.
At the center of this storm is Desmond Pessima, the current SLPPNA chairman, who is seeking re-election. His critics accuse him of orchestrating the election reruns to secure his second term “by hook or by crook.” With allegations of constitutional violations, vote disenfranchisement, and conflicts of interest, the SLPPNA’s democratic integrity hangs in the balance.
Election Annulments: Political Tactic or Genuine Oversight?
The SLPP Secretariat’s decision to nullify election results in Arizona, Ohio, and Seattle followed a report by the Diaspora Regional Elections Complaints Committee (DIRECC). The Secretariat ruled that the March 1 elections were flawed, ordering reruns in all three states under the supervision of DIEMOC (Diaspora Independent Elections Monitoring and Oversight Committee).
Ohio: The Constitutional Crisis
In Ohio, the dispute is particularly contentious. The SLPP constitution states that only paid members can vote. However, reports suggest that Rev. James Kabangai pushed for all members—paid or not—to be allowed to vote. This blatant disregard for party regulations has left Ohio’s election results in limbo, with legal arguments over membership eligibility fueling tensions.
Seattle & Arizona: Allegations of Bias
The Seattle and Arizona annulments are even more controversial. Candidates and chapter leaders claim that their elections were transparent, free, and fair, yet were overturned based on one-sided complaints without proper investigation. They argue that Mr. Phillip Massaquoi, who oversaw the Seattle election, later served on the complaint committee—a clear conflict of interest that undermines the credibility of the decision.
A Calculated Power Grab?
Dissenting voices within SLPPNA believe these reruns are part of Chairman Pessima’s larger strategy to influence the delegate count. The more control he has over who votes at the convention, the better his chances of staying in power.
Hindolo F. Barnett, a candidate for SLPPNA Regional Chairman, has condemned the annulments, calling them a last-minute ploy to manipulate the election outcome. In a strongly worded letter, he urged party leadership to resist these “underhanded political tactics.”
Growing Resistance: Will SLPPNA Members Push Back?
While SLPPNA’s leadership insists that the election reruns are necessary to uphold democratic principles, opposition within the party is growing. The SLPPNA Seattle Chapter has formally rejected the DIRECC decision, demanding transparency and fair treatment. Seven out of ten executive members signed a letter challenging the process and calling for a rerun only for disputed positions, not entire elections.
Moreover, concerns about independent oversight have led to calls for the removal of Augustine Kebbie from DIEMOC after he was found openly endorsing Pessima—a clear violation of neutrality rules. If DIEMOC is compromised, then how can SLPPNA members trust the fairness of the rerun?
What’s Next for SLPPNA?
With just days until the March 8 convention, the stakes could not be higher. If the annulments stand, Pessima and his allies may secure an unfair advantage. But if party members successfully challenge the decision, SLPPNA could face an internal revolt, further destabilizing the region.
This crisis exposes deeper fault lines within SLPPNA:
- Should the rules be bent for political gain?
- Who truly controls the party—the members or the leadership?
- Will the rerun elections be fair, or just another tool for power consolidation?
As the countdown to March 8 continues, SLPPNA members must decide: Will they allow this to stand, or will they fight for democracy?
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
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