“I have Not Endorsed Any Candidate For 2028” – President Bio Clarifies
President Julius Maada Bio hos on Wednesday 30th July, 2025 boldly made it clear at the opening of the Sierra Leone People’s Party National Delegate Conference that he has not endorsed any Presidential Aspirants for the 2028 general election.
This clarification came amidst rumors that some vying for the position has been busy deceiving delegates that they have the blessings of the president.
President Bio urged members of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to uphold unity, discipline, and democratic values as the party prepares for leadership elections and future national contests.
President Bio delivered a wide-ranging address that touched on the party’s legacy, internal democracy, his personal leadership journey, and the road to the 2028 general elections.
Welcoming delegates and guests, Bio described the SLPP as the “first, oldest, and most consequential political movement” in Sierra Leone, and emphasized that the two-day conference would define the party’s future. “We gather not as factions, but as one family, united in purpose,” he said, reminding attendees that the eyes of the nation and international partners were watching.
He paid tribute to the outgoing National Executive, led by Chairman Prince Harding, for securing victories in the 2018 and 2023 elections, calling on the next leadership to build on that foundation.
Bio’s speech reaffirmed SLPP’s ideological commitment to social democracy, inclusive governance, and economic justice. He recalled the vision of founding leaders like Sir Milton Margai, Madam Ella Koblo Gulama, and Banja Tejan-Sie, urging younger members to live out those values and elders to pass them down. “Our party must lead not only in government but also in character,” he stressed.
In a personal reflection, the President recounted his own political journey, including defeats in 2005 and 2012, and victories in 2018 and 2023 as a testament to perseverance and loyalty to the SLPP. “Politics done right is not about who wins today, it is about who serves always,” he stated, calling for humility in victory and grace in defeat.
Bio issued a strong call for peaceful and credible elections within the party. “There must be no room for intimidation, no tolerance for insults, no reward for coercion,” he warned, pledging neutrality and affirming he had not endorsed any candidate. “Leadership is not about age or titles, it is about character, vision, and service,” he added.
As current Chair of ECOWAS, Bio underscored Sierra Leone’s responsibility to model democratic principles. “We cannot preach democracy abroad and fail to practice it here,” he said, urging SLPP to set the gold standard for political conduct in West Africa.
Addressing speculation about the 2028 flagbearer, Bio made clear he harbours no presidential ambition beyond his current mandate and reaffirmed that the next party leader would emerge through a fair process and divine timing. “There can only be one flagbearer, the one whom the Almighty God has already anointed,” he said.
In a direct message to the opposition All People’s Congress (APC), Bio encouraged a clean internal election process, adding that peace and unity must remain a shared national priority. “We may differ in vision and compete in elections, but we must stand together on one sacred ground, the peace, unity and stability of Sierra Leone,” he said.
The conference, which aims to elect new national executive officers, is seen as a major stepping stone toward the SLPP’s ambition for a historic third-term win in 2028.
Founded in 1951, the SLPP is the oldest political party in Sierra Leone. It led the country to independence in 1961 under the leadership of Sir Milton Margai and governed during the nation’s early post-independence years. The SLPP’s ideological base is social democracy, advocating for equality, education, healthcare, and economic justice. Historically, the party has drawn support from the south and east of the country, but it has made efforts to broaden its national appeal over time.
The SLPP has produced some of Sierra Leone’s most influential leaders. Sir Milton Margai became the country’s first Prime Minister, laying the foundation for democratic governance. After periods in opposition and military rule, the SLPP returned to power in 1996 under President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who played a pivotal role in ending the civil war. Julius Maada Bio, a former military head of state, became party flagbearer in 2011, won the presidency in 2018, and was re-elected in 2023. The party’s leadership legacy continues to shape national politics, especially in its current bid to secure a third consecutive term, an unprecedented feat in Sierra Leone’s democratic history.
