The name, Samuel Sam Sumana is a household one in Sierra Leone and in the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC).
Born in Kono district, Eastern Sierra Leone, he is the son of a very unassuming family although his father was one of the greatest Paramount Chiefs of the district.
No doubt that his father was a highly influential man. Before his death, the influential Paramount Chief had had his own share of what it meant to be a supporter of the APC in the south-east of the country at the time perhaps even today.
Thrown in jail, at one time, for his affiliation with the APC, he was in handcuff holding the new-born, Sam Sumana. One can hardly question his father’s loyalty to the APC talk less about Sam Sumana’s uncompromising loyalty to the same party to this day.
But, Sam Sumana, himself, became active in APC politics and in the politics of the land when he was selected as a Running-mate in the 2007 presidential elections by then Leader and flag-bearer, Ernest Bai Koroma. It was a great turning point in the political life of this young unassuming Sierra Leonean. As he would always say, “Out of a little over six million Sierra Leoneans at the time, Ernest Bai Koroma held my arm and introduced me to, not just, Sierra Leone but to the whole world as the man who, he believed, was a very good choice for a Running mate. “There is nothing greater than this,” he had remarked at one time.
The choice that the then Leader, Ernest Bai Koroma made, at that time, was a good one indeed, because the entire APC family and the country at large, rallied around the two of them and eventually elected them President and Vice President respectively.
In the first three years of their union, these two great men were inseparable. They would eat lunch together most times, confer with each other on national issues; and agree on almost everything. But this presidential marriage was short lived. For whatever reasons, and all of a sudden, there was bad blood between the two great men. It was widely believed that some operatives within the APC, who saw the Vice President as a possible successor to President Koroma, coupled with their ambitions, ignited the feud between the two great men through gossip and deliberate misinformation. President Koroma, as we have now come to know, had, and perhaps still has, a great weakness and passion for gossip. Some even say, he enjoys it while he acts on some of the gossip without getting the other side of the story surrounding the gossip.
Several ugly, annoying and irritating utterances were alleged to have been made by Vice President Sam Sumana against his boss, President Koroma. Acting upon all of this, President Koroma started isolating his Vice President and almost stripped him of all the authority that a Vice president is supposed to carry. His appointment of a Special Executive Assistant (SEA) in the person of the astute and charismatic Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden was a clear testament to this claim. Dr. Blyden has the competence to act squarely and appropriately in a Vice President’s position in this country. Making her the SEA to the President was almost like saying: “Goodbye Mr. Vice President,” I have a replacement for you. In spite of all this marginalization, Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana remained quiet and defenceless in his little corner of a Vice President’s office. As if everything he was going through with his boss was not enough at the time, the forces of evil succeeded in having President Koroma remove him from office as Vice President of Sierra Leone after his expulsion from the APC over trumped-up allegations of anti-party activities and other related charges. Those who never knew the implications of this action by President Koroma jubilated and quickly dismissed Sam Sumana as a no body when it comes to APC politics. He took his case to the ECOWAS Court after failing to get fair judgement from a judiciary in Sierra Leone that was controlled by the politics of the land. The ECOWAS court subsequently maintained that his removal from office as Vice President of Sierra Leone constituted a gross Human Right violation for which a judgement was entered in his favour by the Court. Even after that, he did not pursue any remuneration for damages or court expenses.
To prove a point to the skeptics and to prove his relevance to the politics of the country, he returned to Sierra Leone three months to the general elections in 2018 and formed his own political party, the Coalition for Change (C4C).
The outcome of those elections saw him win eight out of nine seats in Kono district.
Quite recently, the same Sam Sumana, after reconciling with his former Boss, President Koroma, and weighing his chances in the political arena, decided to return to the APC. This move has created a very serious shake-up within the APC, especially to the party top guns who now see their chances of fulfilling their ambitions of becoming Flag bearer for the party and President of Sierra Leone being thwarted.
The process of getting him squarely situated within the party is being slowed down by some insiders for this very reason. Some are of the opinion that if Sam Sumana became the next President, he would retaliate against those who were at the helm of the conflict between him and President Koroma which led to his removal.
Some are afraid that a Sam Sumana Presidency would bolt them out of everything they ever aspired to be in the APC party.
But let us face it. When you look at every potential aspirant for flag bearer in the APC for now, it is becoming very clear that Chief Alhaji Sam Sumana stands a greater chance. First, he has demonstrated a very unique quality of a great leader, which is tolerance and forgiveness. Secondly, he has great control of Kono district because the Kono people would recognize only one leader at a time. From Chief Songu M’brewah to the great Aiah Abu Koroma; and now Chief Sam Sumana. They will never break that traditional trend and its associated value for anybody else other than the one that they have recognized as leader for that particular moment. Why would Sam Sumana’s C4C party win 8 out of 9 seats in Kono district in less than 90 days? Besides, and unless the APC is willing to remain in opposition for ten and more years, there is no way APC can win a Presidential election being in opposition without the Kono votes. Let us keep in mind that the SLPP won the previous elections by less than 150,000 votes. Those were mainly the Kono votes, whether you agree with me or not. Additionally, the eastern region is ready, this time, to have one of their own in the seat of the Presidency regardless of which political party the individual comes from. Not to talk about Sam Sumana’s international recognition as a Global Peace Ambassador and a very stable and charismatic politician. He speaks reconciliation and peace all the time which is what Sierra Leone needs at this time of great political turbulence and tribulation. As far as he is concerned, he has forgiven everyone as far back as 2016. According to him, if one continues to look back, one would not see his way forward.
To the APC party, let me say this, that the earlier the better. This time it should be about who is strategically positioned to win for you and not who you like or dislike. It is about having someone that can stand toe-to-toe against whoever the SLPP presents as their candidate in 2023. It is about turning things around for our development and our political salvation. Sam Sumana, like Ernest Bai Koroma, is business minded. He can turn this economy around in record time. He has the business acumen and the international business connections to do so with relative ease. He stands a greater chance of winning votes in the south-east than all other potential aspirants of the APC party put together. He has the human touch and the persona befitting a statesman and a great leader. You do not have to give him the Flag Bearer spot in the APC on a silver platter but for once, get out of your fears and comfort zone and bring him onboard so that he can have the opportunity to contest and possibly win on the ballot box for all of you in the APC and Sierra Leone in general. He has what it takes to deliver the APC from the current political debacle that the party is plunged into. If the rumours we are hearing about the names of APC stalwarts that have been earmarked for the Government ‘White Paper’ is anything to go by, Chief Alhaji Samuel Sam sumana that would remain the only choice for the APC. A very appropriate and solid choice it would be.
I say to the APC; Are you ready to come back to power in 2023? or Have you resolved to remain in opposition for another five or more years after 2023? Sam Sumana is the devil you already know. He is therefore better positioned than the Angels that are yet to leave heaven and come down to Planet Earth to start planning while Chief Sam is already miles away. He, who has ears to hear, let him hear, as I rest my case.
Credit: Peter Moiwo
APC SAM SUMANA – THE DEVIL YOU KNOW IS BETTER THAN THE UNKNOWN ANGEL
