It is not uncommon to hear supporters of the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) state with firm conviction that come November 17th 2012, their presidential candidate Julius Maada Bio will be running the Government as President. The party’s chairman John Oponjo Benjamin will confidently speak of how they are “the Government in waiting”.

Now, the only way the SLPP will be in power as the next Government come November is if Maada Bio wins presidential elections. Therefore, to some, Bio’s views about Dr. Christiana Thorpe, the Electoral Boss is the view that must be adopted by the SLPP as against any other view. Well, at least that is the thinking in the Bio camp.

Maada Bio this week made it very clear that he trusts Dr. Thorpe. Bio spoke of “the confidence we have in Madam Christiana Thorpe and her Commissioners” to provide what he terms as “an election that is free, fair transparent & credible; that no political party will hesitate to accept”. He spoke at SLPP’s second highest decision making body.

Bio also affirmed that “we want an election that is violence and intimidation free. We trust that the National Electoral Commission can deliver such an election”.

Maada Bio has spoken. He trusts Christiana Thorpe and has full confidence in her. Maada Bio’s victory at presidential polls is only way SLPP, including John Benjamin, will ever become the next Government. As for some 500 other elections to be held at same time as presidential elections, who cares about them? Maada Bio has spoken. All others (112 Parliamentary, 394 Local Council positions) are secondary to presidential elections because it is only when they win the presidency that SLPP wins the Government and the elections are only about winning State House and not about winning Parliamentary seats or Mayorships or local council seats. It is Bio, Bio & Bio time. All the rest can go to blazes!! Who cares about their opinions? That is the thinking in Maada Bio campaign team. What a thinking indeed!