By Tabora Bojang
The People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), one of the oldest political parties in the country and one which cuts a niche for itself as a people centered party, has got a new secretary general.
He is Swaibou Touray, a longtime disciple of the party and current National Assembly Member for Wuli East, one of the first and only rural provinces PDOIS enjoys electoral success since its formation in 1987. He replaces one of the founding members and key fugure, Halifa Sallah.
At the party’s elective congress over the weekend, Touray secured 72 votes ahead of second place Dr Bai Biran Jagne who polled 54 votes with Edrissa Jallow, the former administrative secretary of the party, finishing third with 50 votes.
In his reaction, Touray described his election as an honour and thanked the party delegates and membership for the trust bestowed on him.
“There are no losers in this process and I look forward to working with all of you to continue serving this great party to move to a higher heights,” he assured PDOIS members.
Other new members include Essa Wally, elected as new chairman of the party; Alpha Robinson as head of the Political Bureau; Dr Adama Bah as secretary to the Expert Bank and Joseph Elijah as treasurer.
Dr Bai Biran Jagne has been elected as the secretary of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Board while Fatou Sallah Jobe is the new secretary of the Women’s Bureau with Aminata Maimuna Baldeh as secretary to the Youth Bureau.
Flag bearer
Meanwhile, a senior party official has told The Standard that the election of a secretary general is deferent from that of a flag bearer which he said comes through primaries to be conducted before the election.
