After extensively touring the southeast regions of Sierra Leone, the peoples of the region have promised and assured President Bio and the ruling SLPP of 99 per cent of their votes. This new development is a cause for concern for supporters and members of the main opposition APC. For a party that says they want to defeat the incumbent SLPP, voters are worried that the APC is not showing the kind of seriousness it should be displaying at this point so close to the 24 June elections.
It is a no brainer that the people of Sierra Leone and the APC want to win the 24 June elections while the SLPP is trying to maintain and prolonging its grip on power. With the way the APC has been handling things since their Makeni convention, chances are should they lose the elections they will be in the opposition for decades to come.
To offset this scenario from happening, the people of Sierra Leone need a moment of silence or say a silent prayer as the two leading parties are so desperate to win that they will not ignore unleashing their party thugs across the country as a last minute electioneering strategy should all else fail. If these parties end up fighting for power as we should expect, then it is the people of Sierra Leone that are expected to suffer. As the saying goes ‘when two elephants fight, only the grass suffers’. These fighting never affect the politician, his or her party or family members; only the people will suffer.
The fear that is so evident in the eyes and on the faces of concerned members of the public and diplomatic corps is that for all intents and purposes as relating the 24 June elections, President Bio and the ruling SLPP have done their job. They have done the needful, something no one can say for certain about the main opposition APC.
While the APC seem bent on chasing its tail, meanwhile President Bio is almost done touring his southeastern strongholds. President Bio and the SLPP are sure of a bulk vote from the southeast, citing that from Kenema to Bo and the entire southeastern region it is very hard to see any other campaign or party banner that is not of President Bio and the SLPP aspirant or endorsed hopeful. Our people are still on the lookout for APC or other parties’ campaign poster or banners in the southeastern regions.
After a successful tour, President Bio came back to Freetown last week a fulfilled man. He is confident that people in the provinces listen to and take as serious or telling the truth the first person to come and explain things to them, which Bio has done. The president is reported to have not only gone and talked to his supporters in the provincial capitals, but he went to the interior and forest villages to meet and speak with his supporters. Looking at this from a ‘first come first serve basis’ the people see President Bio as first and hence should be worthy of their votes.
President Bio and the SLPP have not only made inroads in their party strongholds, they are also making significant progress in areas outside their traditional dominance. In the north, the SLPP has penetrated Port Loko, Falaba and Kambia, after President Bio made peace and an alliance with Dr KK Yumkella and the NGC party. Also from Congo Cross to Goderich in Freetown, all you see are SLPP posters and banners.
Despite all that the SLPP and President Bio have done, the APC and Dr Samura Kamara and his company have not moved from here to Bo since their Makeni convention to speak to the people of Sierra Leone. All we know is that Dr Kamara travelled to the United States, which happens to be his most memorable visit outside Freetown since clinching the APC flag. Instead of spending time outside of and making significant inroads in nontraditional APC strongholds, Dr Samura spent the Muslim Pray Day in Mambolo in the north.
As the main opposition party candidate we expect the APC to be aggressive with the incumbent party and president; the incumbent should fear the opposition, not the other way around as it has been happening in Sierra Leone. Things have gotten to such a state that even in APC strongholds, the APC and their people are yet to make any significant or noteworthy move. All we see is the ruling party making such moves.
It is true that President Bio has failed us as a people. It is also true that things are very hard, even unbearable for the majority of our people, most of who live in the provinces. But despite all this, what has the APC said to the people to announce their intention to do different from the New Direction regime? With exactly two months to the 24 June elections, with all the court cases, will the APC and Dr Samura Kamara be ready in time to face the people?
The people of Sierra Leone say they want change but their fear is that the APC is not ready and will still not be ready in time for the 24 June elections judging by how they have been doing things so far. They don’t see in the party or their hopefuls the kind of people that are ready to take over power on 24 June 2023. With just two months to Election Day, will they have time to tour the opposition strongholds?
The people are of the belief that if the APC allows the SLPP to spring a surprise victory at the polls in June, ‘then the APC should be ready to be in the opposition for decades’ they assured.
To be continued…
After Touring SLPP, Other Strongholds… SOUTHEAST ASSURES BIO OF 99% VOTES
