It is now crystal clear that leadership of the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) faces a big task of educating their grassroot membership about Justice Adrian Fisher’s verdict which is now a hot topic for debate within and outside the party.
The verdict is being interpreted differently among APC rank and file signalling a potential disruption of peace and security. The youth threaten to take to the streets if the verdict remains as it is. Little did they know that the only right the party has is appeal if they wanted to.
The public education scheme for the APC membership could be face-to-face or through mass media means for it to be properly understood.
Town hall meetings and press briefings could be held so that loud and clear message would be sent outside there that the party leadership accepts the verdict, and that low cadre members must also see the verdict as fair.
The party leadership must also make it clear that the party will dissociate themselves from anyone who foments chaos in respect of the verdict. It is hoped that this method would work if properly applied. Media reports have also shown that a former senior civil servant, Ambassador Allieu Kanu has also strongly admonished the party not to appeal the verdict but to accept it, and work together for progress.
He is of the view that any appeal would likely derail the party’s progress.
He also stated that such appeals would endanger the party’s peaceful co-existence at a moment the party has less time to solve their problems, put the house in order and prepare to face President Julius Maada Bio next year. APC’s threats to take to the streets since the matter was pending in court were open and clear.
The youth had constantly sounded the legal cliche that “justice delayed is justice denied to wreak havoc. They had it that if the verdict was not handed down quickly, situation would have gone out of control. Undercover investigation carried out by this press shows that the youth were waiting only for the fasting to end for them to protest against the judiciary.
They believe that the protests would force Fisher to hand down the verdict. It is fortunate that the verdict was handed down before Eid (pray day). Now that the verdict is here, some youth still remain disillusioned saying they would not bow.
Many APC youth stull threaten to take to the streets if the verdict is not reversed while others say they would appeal. They see the verdict as one that is not in the party’s interest. Members will be within legal bounds if they choose the latter, but might incur the wrath of state authorities should they resort to the former. APC grassroot members has been less trustful and highly critical of the judiciary since the inception of the hearings arguing that the verdict would hardly favour the party.
Last Thursday’s verdict left many grassroot members and sympathisers in complete disarray. Although the verdict was a long-awaited one, it was not the type the majority of APC have longed for saying it conferred much powers on Alfred Peter Conteh who won the case against APC.
Justice Adrian Fisher’s verdict appeared to have placed Conteh on the advantage side as he has the power to even choose the party’s chairman.
Other members even claim that Conteh may likely be new chairman of the party, but such claims have been dismissed by senior members of the party.
A senior APC politician who chose to be anonymous spoke briefly to this press that no portion of the verdict conferred on Conteh the right to emerge as chairman. Quoting Justice Fisher directly, the politician told this press that Conteh’s side should provide nine members including the chairman in the 21-man interim committee.
If it happens that Conteh became the next chairman by virtue of the ruling, so be it, the politician rests his case. In a situation where Conteh says he should be the chairman while the other side says no, the last resort should be the court to decide who is right.
The situation would open another fresh wave of litigation which would linger for months again in the courtroom for a decision to be arrived at. If another litigation emanates from the verdict, it is APC that loses and not the court and Conteh. Conteh’s contention is now addressed except otherwise.
This is also another area where the leadership must educate the followers to maintain peace and unity in a party that has seen many conflicts after it left power in 2018.