Main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) has tacitly endorsed the ruling SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) for a second-term mandate. The endorsement is made clear by the seeming inability of APC officials to put their house in order. The main opposition is currently caught in legal and political wrangling that burns back the party’s progress.
Since APC was voted out in 2018, researchers and academics in the party undertook studies that identified the causes of the party’s defeat in the polls. A lengthy research paper done by Dr Sylvia Blyden deserved a particular mention. In her study, Dr Blyden pointed out numerous causes of APC’s loss of the people’s votes.
Two among several causes were the retention of the ‘Selection Clause’ and the presentation of Dr Samura Kamara as flag-bearer of the party. Dr Blyden argued that nowhere in a democracy that the flag-bearer is handpicked to represent a political party in an election. The handpicking, of Dr Samura Kamara, left many flag-bearers disillusioned and disappointed. They suspected a conspiracy between former President Koroma and Dr Samura Kamara. The disappointed flag-bearers became dormant if not quasi or nominal political partners in running the APC business.
In venting out their anger, Samura Kamara was left alone to face a candidate whose name was almost heard in every household in Sierra Leone.
Besides being handpicked, Dr Samura Kamara displayed a panic of inferiority to President Julius Maada Bio, his former boss. At a time President Julius Maada Bio held the NPRC (National Provisional Ruling Council) Chairmanship, Dr Samura Kamara served him as financial secretary. Dr Blyden succinctly suggests in her work that Dr Samura Kamara is not the candidate to face President Julius Maada Bio.
The two are no equals in the body politics in Sierra Leone. Put in plain terms, President Julius Maada Bio is politically weightier than Dr Samura Kamara. These two and other principal factors were brought about as solutions to ensure that APC takes back State House in 2023. Sylvia Blyden’s solutions and recommendations were treated with a pinch of salt. As if that was not enough, the party which is the people’s only hope for redemption is tearing itself apart to the amazement of many Sierra Leoneans.
The party, quite recently, has seen several litigations and injunctions that weigh hard on the party. The plethora of injunctions has been compounded by the dull opposition displayed by the APC. A key APC member has told this press that the weak opposition exhibited by the APC is a clear sign of a sell-out to the SLPP. The party stalwarts identified marked SLPP blunders which the APC must have capitalised on to effectively checkmate the ruling party.
APC first displayed its weakness when it allowed the ruling party to unjustifiably take away 10 parliamentary seats that hitherto belonged to the APC. Those who voted in the members of parliament were the most aggrieved, and were going to take to the streets in protest to government’s excesses.
The protest would have compelled government to reconsider their decisions, and bring back the parliamentarians. APC has however taken back the one seat out of the ten in a re-run parliamentary election. The Opposition Leader in parliament, Honour Chernoh Bah aka Chericoco who earlier pronounced a relentless and robust fight to take back the seats, is now cool and calm.
The Opposition Leader no longer talks about the campaign to take back the seats, a move that compelled senior party members to demand the departure of Hon Bah. To date, nine APC parliamentarians are no longer parliamentarians. Their SLPPP runners-up were sworn in as members of parliament. The swearing in of the runners-up ran contrary to the Public Elections Act of 2012.
The law says where a petition filed by a petitioner is successful; a re-run election must be conducted. The main opposition has also failed to oppose a state of emergency without rules. Section 29 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone makes it clear and mandatory that whenever a state of public emergency is proclaimed, rules must be promulgated and laid before parliament for approval.
The enactment of rules prevents abuse or violation of human rights, freedom and civil liberties of the individual. APC never took on the New Direction Government for their failure to come up with rules to guide the emergency. Despite absence of rules, the state of emergency was implemented almost a year now with just five days more to go.
Sierra Leoneans’ fundamental rights have been constantly infringed upon by forces of law and order especially during lockdowns owing to the absence of rules.
Like the state of emergency, the Commissions of Inquiry was also conducted without rules of evidence. In the formation of the inquiry commissions, a fundamental provision in section 150 was flouted. Section 150 obliges Rules-of-Court Committee to make rules that would regulate the practice and procedure of all commissions of inquiry.
Although the APC initially put up some resistance to the formation of the commissions, the resistance movement died a natural death. Persons of interest who were mostly ministers and deputies of the former government cooperated and appeared before the commission through their lawyers.
Other ministers among them Sylvia Blyden appeared in person. The appearance of former ministers at the commissions of inquiry is a tacit acceptance of the commission’s legality although, by law, its legality is still in doubt. The ministers’ appearances before judges of the commissions also nakedly defeated the tough stance of the erstwhile Publicity Secretary of the main opposition, Cornelius Deveaux. In most of his arguments, Cornelius Deveaux has always seen the commissions of inquiry as “Kangaroo-styled.”
Owing to their kangaroo nature, Deveaux threatened that none of the former government officials would be submitted to illegal commissions. He said the APC would not bow to “unconstitutionality.”
The commissions are now over, but a government White Paper is currently in force. The White Paper bans the former President and his ministers from travelling out of the country without recourse to the Attorney-General’s office. It would be implemented at any time on the APC members whose hands have been allegedly found on the loot.
The former flag-bearer, Dr Samura Kamara has been a key target. He was accused of misappropriating 30 vehicles while he was minister in the Koroma era. An SLPP stalwart has intimated this press that the White Paper would be enforced on APC in the campaign period.
The move is to ensure that the APC strategising machine is reduced to nothing.
With this move in mind, SLPP hoped to enjoy a smooth ride to State House in 2023. The appointment of Mohamed Kenewui Konneh as Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC) ought to have been another case for a sustained opposition by the APC.
The CEC, by legal standards, is not properly seated. Most prominent Sierra Leoneans have argued that Konneh’s appointment failed to meet a major legal criterion-consultation. Although the 1991 Constitution provides that the President must hold consultation with registered political parties prior to the appointment of the CEC.
This provision was boycotted, and the CEC installed to conduct the 2023 elections. Questions and waves of bashing were initially heard on the media in respect of the appointment of Konneh. The questions came from the civil society organisations, the media as well as political and social commentators regarding the process in which Konneh was appointed. Owing to the continued pressure posed by the media and the CSO’s, it came out clearly that only the former President was consulted. The CEC is already seated now hoping to conduct the elections in 2023.
Considering the aforementioned anomalies which has remained unsolved for years, It is only a miracle that would ensure victory for the APC.