Grassroot members of the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) have accused their leaders of failing them owing to the party’s snail pace moves to bring back stolen votes.
“APC has failed us as we expect them to have brought the party to governance by this time especially when it is now clear that it is APC that has won the election,” one of the grassroot members, Idrissa Kamara told this press.
Morose, taciturn and depressed, Kamara said he was less comfortable with APC these days especially assurances that the party would win the elections at first round.
The party, he went on, won the election, but was still out of State House as action remains low key.
As he tried to cope with the stress, Kamara has stopped visiting APC’s main ATAYA base at Calaba Town in Eastern Freetown where they used to converge to discuss issues of the day.
Other APC youth have also similarly abandoned the base as they put up with the stress of losing the elections although it is a false declaration by the election authorities.
Another grassroot supporter, Ibrahim Conteh has voiced out his frustration about the failure of the party at a crucial moment.
Conteh who said he was one of the party agents during the elections said his party had won the elections but their inaction before, during and after the elections gave rise to the naked rigging.
“Members and supporters of SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) know that that they will not win the elections, but they only test to see the reaction of APC members, and hope to do away with it if the party elders fails to act,” he expressed his disappointment with his party adding that such will not happen in other countries.
As PAOPA still rules despite allegations of holding a “stolen mandate,” Conteh looks back at the glittering assurances by their parliamentarians and councillors that APC would return to the politics of Siaka Stevens, Sorie Ibrahim Koroma and Christian Alusine Kamara Taylor to return the party to power after 2023 elections.
The promise was also made by one of their members of parliament in a snap meeting with supporters at the ATAYA base.
The APC of Siaka Stevens was never known for easy and cool moves when it came to elections between his party and the main rival, SLPP.
It was one of the main factors that kept the party alive and kicking during its formative period despite few challenges and turbulence at that time.
Through tough action in defending the party, Conteh went on, APC had clinched power several times from SLPP including 2007 in which former President Koroma defeated late Vice President, Solomon Ekuma Berewa of the SLPP.
APC, he said, gave up power only in 2018 elections through demands for regime change by members of the international community who would not like to see one party in power after two terms.
According to a senior APC politician and former Minister, his party, APC won the 2018 general election according to official results announced by Mohamed N’fa Alie Conteh, then Chief Electoral Commissioner.
But, during a meeting with the diplomatic community in Sierra Leone, it was resolved that power had to change hands to ensure that peace and stability reign in Sierra Leone.
Without any alternative, the former Minister went on, the party members including the presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara bowed to pressure piled by the international community.
He said once President Bio came to power through political compromise, he also hopes to retain the presidency using similar means but at the people’s expense.
High cost of living in Sierra Leone conditioned by uncontrollable inflation, depreciation of the Leones currency and weak exchange rate is driving most of the APC youth away.
Like SLPP youth, most APC grassroot members were brought to the capital city during campaigns especially the elections in 2018 when APC used to hold its one-million marches and parades in Freetown as a show of numerical strength,
But, soon the youth were abandoned at party offices which they use as dwelling houses. Misfortune however greeted them when the party issued an order to the grassroot members to move away from the party office to ensure decency.
While in the struggle to bring the party to power, the youth were assured that the APC would embark on wild wolf chase for the presidency when once the executive of former President Ernest Bai Koroma was removed.
The old APC Constitution made the former President, chairman-for-life and he used to preach peace and diplomacy in inter-party relationship with SLPP, and that is sure to stop once Koroma’s tenure in the party comes to an end.
Hope was raised again among APC grassroot after a high court in Freetown dissolved the Koroma executive, but it was a mere a hoax as similar situation continued after a new and energetic executive was installed.
APC’s slow response to SLPP’s threats of not handing over power although they are not the winners of the election, according to the grassroot is a sign of great weakness.
APC grassroot members and supporters hope for no future as long as SLPP holds power, and returning to their villages after a long sojourn in a less friendly city is the only way out.
Dozens of grassroot members also returned to the provinces as life in Freetown remains tough. But, they however hope to come back when APC sings the victory song.
But, when the will victory song be sung as the party’s senior hierarchy do not see eye to eye on issues that affect the party.
Allegations and counter-allegations against senior APC executive officials also went a long way in undermining the party’s strength and unity with the grassroot members on the wrong end. They are the hardest-hit victims if the Tripartite Committee fails to come up with recommendations that will favour the party and the people of Sierra Leone.
The party’s Chairman, Minkailu Mansaray and others have been constantly accused of receiving bribes from government to water down the party’s fight. Although there is little proof, the allegation filters through the party’s low cadre members and the chairman’s reticence adds weight to the allegation.
He however recently came under fire when he announced at the APC office that election would take place in 2026 and not 2028.
Several grassroot supporters interpreted the statement as one that denoted traitorship in the political party. In a recent meeting, Mansaray was nearly attacked by disgruntled APC members, but was saved by police officers who intervened to provide security.
The chairman is not alone in the ongoing allegations, as the party’s running mate, Chernor Bah is said to be a snitch in the party and one of those facilitating Bio’s second-term presidency, but there is also no evidence to support such claims. Chernor Bah was also tight-lipped about the allegation as he had called no press to respond.
However, Chernoh Bah’s alleged refusal to represent APC at the Tripartite Committee and his failure to mobilise effort for a strong ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) in Sierra Leone ahead of the election are seen as clues of traitorship.
Such failure, according to the grassroot, led to alleged theft of votes and the current political wrangling.
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Sidi Yayah Tunis was also similarly accused of trading and trafficking with the party owing to his recent utterances against a party that many contributes to what he is.
While the party is struggling to bring back stolen victory, Tunis was quoted to have said that “the election is done and dusted” and that the party should wait for 2028.
Almost invariably, the presidential candidate is also under fire for not doing enough to restore the party’s victory.
While President Bio is riding roughshod on APC politicians, Kamara relies on the pen, peace and diplomacy to bring the party to power, but the grassroot has little hope.
It goes without saying that as long as APC dabbles into mistrust and disunity, there is no way the party could take back its stolen victory. The grassroot will however consider options, but nobody knows how they would look like.