The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has formally responded to lawyers representing Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally, maintaining its position on his eligibility to present himself as a flag bearer aspirant and inviting them to proceed with legal action if they wish.
In a letter dated 23 September 2026, Gevao & Associates, acting on instructions from SLPP National Publicity Secretary Mr. Moses Sellu Mambu, wrote to Jengo, Sam & Partners.
The firm stated that the party “maintains its position regarding your client’s eligibility to hold himself out as an intended flag bearer candidate of the Sierra Leone People’s Party.”
It added: “We write to implore you to proceed with the steps you wish to take as stated in the last paragraph of your letter. We are required and willing to defend our client’s right in any court of law.”
The response follows a 21 September letter from Tarawally’s lawyers demanding the immediate withdrawal and retraction of a public notice issued by Mambu on 19 September. That notice advised SLPP executives, members, corporate bodies, banks and development partners not to conduct official business with Tarawally in the name of the party unless expressly authorised by the leadership.
The dispute began on 17 September when SLPP National Chairman Jimmy Batilo Songa directed Tarawally to stop using the party logo, presenting himself as a member, or holding himself out as a flag bearer aspirant. Songa cited a confirmation from the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) that Tarawally remains a member of that party, under which he contested the 2018 presidential election.
Tarawally has rejected the claim, insisting he resigned from the CDP on 15 June 2018 and is a fully paid-up Grand Chief Patron of the SLPP with dues paid to 2028. His lawyers say he was an accredited National Delegate who voted at the 2025 National Delegates Conference.
The Gevao & Associates letter was copied to the SLPP National Leader, National Chairman, Deputy National Chairman, National Secretary General, members of the National Executive Council, the Chairperson of the National Council of Elders, and the Chairman of the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC).
