Former Member of Parliament and aspirant for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) flagbearership, Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally, has warned President Julius Maada Bio against what he described as political exploitation, saying he will not allow himself to be used like former Finance Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa and Financial Secretary Sahr Jusu.
Tarawally made the comments in a recent video circulating on social media, in which he also addressed his ongoing dispute with the SLPP National Chairman, Sir Jimmy Batilo Songa.
According to Tarawally, he has formally brought his grievances against Chairman Songa to President Bio’s attention and expects the President, as leader of the party, to intervene. He warned that failure to act would raise serious questions about their political relationship.
In the video, Tarawally further claimed he played a key role in bringing President Bio into the SLPP at a time when Bio was reluctant to enter the party office, and that he introduced him to the late former President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.
The comments come against the backdrop of a membership dispute that has intensified this week.
On 17 September 2026, National Chairman Jimmy Batilo Songa wrote to Tarawally directing him to immediately stop using the SLPP logo, presenting himself as a member, or as an aspirant for the SLPP flagbearership. The letter cited a response from the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) dated 3 September, in which CDP National Secretary General Ibrahim Sorie Sesay said Tarawally remains a member of the CDP under whose ticket he contested the 2018 presidential election.
In a reply dated 18 September 2026, Tarawally rejected the claim as “untruthful and misleading”. He said he resigned from the CDP in 2018, citing a resignation letter dated 15 June 2018 which he attached as evidence, and returned to the SLPP.
Tarawally maintains he is a fully paid-up SLPP member, a Grand Chief Patron and National Delegate, and remains an aspirant for the 2028 flagbearer position.
He has also challenged the Chairman’s authority to unilaterally terminate his membership, arguing that disciplinary matters must go through the National Executive Council in line with the party constitution.
Tarawally said the Chairman’s letter has damaged his reputation and amounts to cyberbullying, and that he has instructed his legal team to explore remedies including action under the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act 2021, civil claims for defamation, and constitutional avenues.
His position has been supported by SLPP Chief Patron Mohamed Malaam Janneh, who noted that Tarawally participated as a Lifetime Delegate and voted at the party’s National Delegates Convention at Bintumani Conference Centre in July 2025, questioning how the party could allow him to vote and later question his membership.
Jacob Jusu Saffa, popularly known as JJ Saffa, and Sahr Jusu were both central figures in the SLPP’s economic team and campaign in opposition before serving as Finance Minister and Financial Secretary respectively under President Bio. Both later fell out with the administration and were removed from office.
The SLPP is yet to issue a public press statement on the matter, as indicated in Chairman Songa’s letter.
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