"The ‘welcome reception' in the form of street parade accorded to the Chairman of the beleaguered Sierra Leone Peoples Party John Oponjo Benjamin Hirsch could be likened to a drowning man who could hold onto even a straw to keep alive", so disclosed a good number of citizens in Freetown on Wednesday 22nd July, 2009 while mocking the shame-faced political gimmick of the SLPP.

Citizens also made fun of the spectacle handful of SLPP supporters created on that day while they were out and about to welcome the unpopular SLPP National Chairman on his return to Sierra Leone from his overseas tours.

"I saw the pensive John O. Benjamin Hirsch at Up-Gun round-about heading to the inner city sandwiched between two or three others in a car in a convoy of eight to ten vehicles with few supporters following which goes to confirm that the aura of the party and their membership have dwindled considerably", a by stander revealed and added, "the scenario is a clear indication that majority of SLPP members have gravitated to the fold of the ruling All People Congress Party because of the hope, dynamism and performance manifested by APC Actors".

A political commentator who spoke on condition of anonymity proffered reasons for the unpopularity of the SLPP in Sierra Leone especially in Western Urban Area.

The political commentator noted that the failures of the SLPP government led by Ex-President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah are still fresh in the memories of majority of citizens. "The fact that former President Kabbah was unable to demonstrate leadership qualities and proven record of achievement on the socio-economic and infrastructural planes is still responsible for the repulsion of citizens against the SLPP", the eloquent political commentator maintained and retorted, "Do you expect sensible people to group around a Chairman of a former failed party which was unable to provide electricity to Freetown? Which was unable to complete the Lumley-Tokeh road? Which was unable to give the required attention and resources to our agricultural sector? Which constructed very poor social structures?"

The erudite political commentator further noted that the time of political gimmicks is gone in the art of politics, as he noted that, even the common man in the village could no longer be fooled, cajoled or hoodwinked by sugar-coated vibes and false promises, especially by political players like those in the SLPP who squandered their opportunity, while at the helm of things, to perform to the appreciation of the electorate.

"The way things are going for the SLPP are omens of failure in the coming 2012 election and even after that election", the erudite political commentator opined.

A group of traders who regularly ply the provincial routes also derided Wednesday's ‘SLPP reception gimmick' for JOB Hirsch as a big joke. The traders were unanimous in their conviction that the APC under the dynamic leadership of Comrade President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has so far brought a new dimension unseen and unheard in state governance of Sierra Leone.

"It is only in this dispensation we have a President who runs the administration of the State like a business which lays emphasis on productivity and timeline", the traders chorused and continued", a good number of feeder roads have been rehabilitated which have contributed to the economic benefits of traders who now find it easy to access remote village by vehicles to buy agricultural produces".

The traders also disclosed that JOB Hirsch is a non factor even in hitherto SLPP strongholds in the South-East.

"Recent tours made by President Koroma in different parts of the South-East coupled with ongoing development activities have really played the magic and endeared Comrade President Koroma to inhabitants in those South-Eastern settlements", the traders remarked at Bombay Street while vouching that President Comrade Koroma would easily be re-elected in 2012.

A leading youth activist also commented on the obscurity of the opposition SLPP as vividly manifested in the low turn out of its membership and supporters past Wednesday along the streets of Freetown to welcome the SLPP lame duck National Chairman JOB Hirsch.

"The youths had long become disorientated by the conservation of leading actors of the SLPP while they ruled Sierra Leone moreso as the grey heads were averse at giving space to youths in their government", the youth activist told one of We Yone reporters at PZ round about while expressing his indignation at the ‘failed political masquerade' put up by a very small number of SLPP ‘blind' followers.

"On the opposite the ruling APC has at its helm young and energetic President and Vice President in the personalities of President Comrade Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma and Vice President Comrade Alhaji Sidique Sam Sumana who find it easy to relate with youths while making strides to address the needs and meet with the aspirations of the youths as very soon a National Youth Commission would be established", the leading youth activist stated and furthered, "our hope for a brighter future only rests on the current APC dispensation". The youth activist noted also that even though it is the democratic right of political supporters to freely associate, and assembly, he however said taking into consideration the momentum the APC has gained across the length and breadth of the land, it would have been better if these SLPP supporters undertake meaningful projects to complement the efforts of the APC Government.

"It is no good option for these small number of SLPP members making a mockery of themselves in street parade to welcome a much-detested National Chairman of a failed party", the leading youth activist frowned and prophesized, "from all available barometers the political climate for the foreseeable future would never be in the favour of the SLPP as the APC party has in less then two years in power achieved what the SLPP were unable to do in their more than a decade tenure in national government".

"This is a spectre of gloom and doom pervading the SLPP", the youth activist intoned!