FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Developments surrounding former President Ernest Bai Koroma’s anticipated return to Sierra Leone featured prominently during a meeting between the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) leadership and the party’s National Elders Council in Freetown on Monday, 13 July.

The meeting, chaired by SLPP National Chairman Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa and Deputy National Chairman Robert K. Kargbo, brought together members of the National Elders Council, the party’s moral guarantor under Article 12 of the SLPP’s 2020 Constitution.

According to the SLPP, the party leadership briefed the Elders on recent engagements with the SLPP Parliamentary Leadership and Party Leader, President Julius Maada Bio, focusing on parliamentary developments relating to former President Koroma.

While details of the parliamentary discussions were not disclosed, the meeting underscored the importance of ensuring that any actions taken by Parliament or the Government remain consistent with the Constitution of Sierra Leone, uphold due process and contribute to national peace and stability.

“The discussions have brought home to the Elders the importance of ensuring that all parliamentary and governmental actions are anchored in the Constitution of Sierra Leone, while promoting due process and national unity, peace and stability,” Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa told the meeting.

The discussions come as public attention remains focused on developments concerning former President Koroma, who has been receiving medical treatment abroad since early 2024 following approval by the High Court. His possible return to Sierra Leone has generated renewed political interest, particularly amid ongoing legal and parliamentary processes linked to the aftermath of the failed 26 November 2023 attempted coup.

The SLPP leadership also briefed the Elders on Sierra Leone’s regional obligations under the ECOWAS Revised Treaty and the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, stressing that constitutional order, democratic governance and the peaceful resolution of political differences remain central to both national and regional stability.

President Bio, who currently serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, was said to remain committed to promoting peace, national cohesion and reconciliation through constitutional and democratic means.

Following the briefing, the National Elders Council called on the SLPP National Executive, party members and supporters both in Sierra Leone and the diaspora to continue supporting the President’s efforts to foster inclusive dialogue and national unity.

The Council also cited President Bio’s previous contributions to Sierra Leone’s peace process, including his engagement during negotiations that helped end the country’s civil war, saying his approach to issues involving former President Koroma reflects a continued commitment to reconciliation.

The Elders concluded by expressing hope that President Bio’s administration will be remembered for advancing peace, strengthening democratic governance and preserving national unity as Sierra Leone navigates the latest political developments surrounding former President Koroma.