APC flagbearer aspirant Dr. Ibrahim Bangura has paid tribute to the party’s late National Chairman, Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray, describing him as a “distinguished statesman” whose decades of service left a lasting mark on both the All People’s Congress (APC) and Sierra Leone.
In a statement issued on Monday, Dr. Bangura said he had received news of Mr Mansaray’s death with “profound sadness and a heavy heart”, adding that the veteran politician’s passing represented a significant loss for the country.
He highlighted Mr. Mansaray’s long association with the APC, noting that he rose through the ranks from president of the then National Youth League to become Deputy Chairman and later National Chairman of the party.
Dr. Bangura said the late APC chairman had also served as a Member of Parliament, Minister of Labour and Employment, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, and a member of the party’s National Advisory Council.
He said Mr. Mansaray’s contributions to governance and national development would remain an enduring part of his legacy.
“For many within our party, Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray was more than a leader; he was a source of counsel, stability and institutional memory,” Dr Bangura said.
The leader of the DIB Movement extended condolences on behalf of his family and supporters to Mr Mansaray’s relatives, the APC leadership and members, and the people of Sierra Leone.
He called on party members and the nation to draw inspiration from the late chairman’s commitment to public service and prayed for Allah to grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
Mr. Mansaray’s death has prompted tributes from across Sierra Leone’s political spectrum, with leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties paying homage to a figure widely regarded as one of the APC’s most experienced and influential leaders.
