By Musa Paul Feika

Former Vice President Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana has declared himself fully qualified to contest for the All People’s Congress (APC) presidential flagbearer position, dismissing controversies surrounding his eligibility and insisting that he has satisfied the party’s five year membership requirement.

Speaking during an interview with a Sierra Leonean prominent journalist, Umaru Fofana on AYV’s State of the Nation programme, Alhaji Sam-Sumana maintained that questions surrounding his membership status and the period required to qualify for the flagbearer contest had been resolved.

Asked whether the APC had addressed concerns about whether his previous years of membership before leaving the party for Coalition for Change (C4C), and his subsequent return, would count towards the eligibility requirement, Sam Sumana responded that the matter was “done and dusted.”

When pressed further on whether the party had formally given him a clean bill of health to contest, he insisted that he was qualified, pointing to his APC membership card, which he said dates back to 2020.

“I have the card. I have the card as a member from 2020,” he stressed, adding that he had accumulated six years of membership in the party against the five years eligibility requirement.

His comments appear aimed at putting to rest questions about his political standing within the APC as the party prepares for its next flagbearer selection process.

Beyond the eligibility controversy, Samuel Sam Sumana also made a strong case for his presidential ambition, arguing that his years of political experience and geographical background should be considered in determining who leads the APC into the 2028 general elections.

He maintained that, since the introduction of multiparty politics in Sierra Leone, the country’s eastern region had never produced a national leader, suggesting that the APC should take the issue into consideration when selecting its presidential candidate.

According to him, among the personalities aspiring for the APC flagbearer position, he believes he possesses the longest experience in national leadership.

“When it comes to national leadership, I carry the highest years of experience,” he argued.

Asked whether his argument was largely influenced by his eastern regional background, Sam Sumana acknowledged that geography was an important consideration, particularly because of Kono District’s political significance.

He described Kono as a swing district whose voting pattern could have a considerable influence on the outcome of national elections.

Sam-Sumana suggested that his connection to the eastern region, combined with his political experience, could make him an important figure in the APC’s efforts to secure electoral support across the country.

However, his argument about the absence of an eastern born president generated a brief historical debate during the interview, particularly over the regional origins of former political leaders.

The discussion centred on former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, with Fofana questioning the assertion that no leader from the eastern region had occupied the presidency.

Sam-Sumana maintained that Kabbah was born in Pendembu, Kailahun District, although questions were raised about his family ancestry and political identity, with references made to his father’s origins in Kambia District.

The exchange highlighted the complexity of defining political identity in Sierra Leone, where birthplace, family ancestry and regional affiliation sometimes feature prominently in political discussions.

Sam-Sumana, however, stood by his argument, suggesting that the APC should demonstrate similar political consideration when deciding its next flagbearer.

He also referred to the Sierra Leone People’s Party’s decision to select Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in 1996, describing the move as a politically strategic decision.

“The SLPP was very smart to have chosen Tejan Kabbah in 1996,” he remarked, suggesting that the APC could similarly take strategic considerations into account in selecting its next presidential candidate.

His comments come at a time when the APC is expected to face intense internal competition among several prominent politicians seeking to lead the party into the 2028 presidential election.

With his declaration of eligibility, emphasis on political experience and appeal to the electoral significance of the eastern region, Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana appears determined to position himself as a serious contender in the party’s unfolding flagbearer contest.

Nevertheless, whether the APC’s relevant organs have formally and conclusively settled the membership duration question remains an important issue for the party’s internal electoral process.