The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Honourable Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu, on Monday 15th April, 2024 tendered a letter to proceed on retirement.
The retirement of Rt. Hon. Abass Chernor Bundu comes following discussions and speculations in the media and other quarters about plans to oust him as Speaker of Parliament.
It could be recalled that about a week ago, the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Member of Parliament, Hon. Mohamed Bangura, accused the Speaker of removing his name from the Sierra Leone delegation to the regional ECOWAS Parliament and threatened to take court action against him.
Sources close to the governing Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) claim Members of Parliament of the ruling party were unhappy about the action of the Speaker to exclude Hon. Mohamed Bangura’s name from the list and eventually had a meeting with His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio where they made their concerns known.
The President has accepted the retirement of Dr. Abass Bundu as Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
In a letter dated 15th April 2024, President Bio expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Dr. Abass Bundu for his leadership in enhancing a strengthened and productive relationship within and outside Parliament. “We certainly look forward to your continued support and wise counsel during your retirement,” the President stated.
The Speaker conveyed his decision to retire from the position of Speaker of Parliament whilst he expressed his profound appreciation for the extraordinary privilege to serve in that capacity and also thanked the President for the support provided to him throughout his tenure.
Dr. Abass Bundu has retired on health/medical grounds and his decision is effective 30th April, 2024. He has served as Speaker of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic from 2018 to 2023 and in this Sixth Parliament since July 2023.
The President has been informed by Dr.Abass Bundu that until Parliament elects a new Speaker, he shall withdraw from its regular sittings, allowing the Deputy Speaker, the Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, to preside over all sittings of Parliament, except when the President is present pursuant to Section 79(7) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No.6 of 1991).
Meanwhile, the retirement of Dr. Abass Bundu as Speaker of Parliament has paved the way for another election of a new Speaker of Parliament and there are speculations about the current Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Honourable Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, whose tenure has almost come to an end, will likely replace the erstwhile Speaker given his popularity that cuts across partisanship, region and ethnicity.