CDP Chairmen Reject Claim Musa Tarawally Is Party Member
Four regional chairmen of the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) have formally rejected recent claims by the party’s Secretary General that Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally remains an active CDP member, escalating an internal rift over his political status.
In a joint statement issued on September 18, 2026, the chairmen representing the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Regions declared that Tarawally officially resigned from the CDP on June 15, 2018, following the first round of that year’s presidential election.
According to the regional leaders, Tarawally addressed his 2018 resignation letter to then-National Secretary General Victor O. King—who currently serves as the CDP’s National Chairman. The chairmen emphasized that they personally witnessed Tarawally’s subsequent return to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
“We, the undersigned Regional Chairmen of the Citizens Democratic Party (CDP) ... hereby categorically refute the claims contained in a letter signed by the Secretary General of the CDP indicating that Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally is a member of the CDP,” the statement read.
Highlighting key events from the 2018 political campaign, the chairmen noted that after departing the CDP, Tarawally publicly endorsed President Julius Maada Bio during the presidential run-off rally held at the Bo Coronation Field.
The regional chairmen strongly criticized the Secretary General’s handling of an inquiry from the SLPP regarding Tarawally’s membership, pointing out that the Secretary General failed to consult any of the regional leadership before issuing a response.
Furthermore, they stated that National Chairman Victor O. King—the recipient of Tarawally’s alleged 2018 resignation—was also bypassed and not consulted prior to the Secretary General’s submission to the SLPP.
Raising questions about the authenticity and legitimacy of the Secretary General's correspondence, the chairmen pointed out that the letter was dispatched on an outdated 2018–2019 CDP letterhead listing an address currently functioning as a private residence.
“In light of the above, we firmly state that Hon. Alhaji Musa Tarawally is not a member of the Citizens Democratic Party,” the four leaders affirmed.
The controversy follows the CDP Secretary General's prior communication to the SLPP asserting that Tarawally had never resigned and remained a registered CDP member. Relying on that assertion, the SLPP instructed Tarawally to cease presenting himself as an SLPP member or flagbearer aspirant.
For his part, Tarawally has consistently maintained that he severed ties with the CDP in 2018 and formally rejoined the SLPP.
The opposing positions highlight a growing rift within the CDP's leadership, placing the Secretary General in direct opposition to the party's four regional chairmen over Tarawally's true political standing.
Concluding their statement, the four chairmen urged concerned parties and the general public to dismiss any claims that Tarawally is a CDP member, reiterating that such assertions do not reflect the position of the party's regional leadership.
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