Old APC (All People’s Congress) parliamentarians are being called upon by the people of Sierra Leone to continue their sit-at- home despite tough times so that they could assert their political rights.
The voters know very well that APC parliamentarians have sacrificed a lot.
They have missed their salaries, allowances and other privileges accorded to parliamentarians but they have to swallow the bitter bill to save democracy.
They should not give into SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party)’s tactics and mortgage the will of Sierra Leoneans. Reliable sources have intimated this press that since the impasse continues, the old APC parliamentarians are being reached by SLPP politicians to reconsider their decision .
They wanted APC law-makers to take their seats in parliament for governance to continue smoothly.
The ruling party politicians are banking on the good relationship that once existed between between them and the APC Old guards to end the stand-off.
It is quite clear that, at the moment, APC politicians have the cash and cache to which APC law makers must turn a blind eye.
In most situations, they will use the money to manipulate, and whenever it fails, they use the cache as a means of coercion.
But, the people of Sierra Leone continue to call on APC parliamentarians hearken to the voice of those who elected them and look to the future with hope. The SLPP politicians are well known for exploiting not only the masses but also fellow politicians for their own ends.
They will later turn their backs against the exploited once they realise their objective.
Signs are clear that APC politicians would be used now and later dumped tomorrow after the ruling party will have realised their goals.
APC lawmakers refused to go to parliament after the June-24 election after it was clear that the electoral process was rigged in favour of the ruling party despite massive votes they got from their constituents.
The announcement made by the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh put SLPP at the top, but do not reflect the people’s will.
The ruling party got 81 parliamentary seats while the main opposition secured 51 making a wide margin.
Owing to the current configuration of parliament, SLPP nearly gets a two-third majority which gives an absolute edge over APC.
They could pass any law they feel like and get away with it.
Situation was better off in the past when other opposition political parties were in parliament.
Before now, there was the National Grand Coalition as well as the Coalition For Change led by Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella and former Vice President, Chief Samuel Sam Sumana. They would easily come to APC’s aid when an issue of utmost public importance arose. Now, they are no more; they have been swept away by the force of the proportional representation system which sets the benchmark at 11.9 percent threshold.
This means that for any political party to qualify for a seat in parliament, it must have not less than 11.9 percent of the total votes cast in any district. It is therefore difficult for smaller and newer political parties to meet the threshold.
This is how the political parties are left out of the race with seeing the act as a ploy to have SLPP’s dominance in the legislative house.
In a democratic setting, the minority have a say while the majority have a way.
With the current political situation in Sierra Leone, it is safe to say that if APC condescend, a leeway for SLPP to realise their political goals is already provided. This means they have the chance to pass all laws needed to maintain their grip on power, a move that is not in APC’s interest.
Any move of acceptance will favour only SLPP and not APC. In the worst case, the parliamentarians will freeze their birth rights and lose the respect they once enjoy from Sierra Leoneans. They will also appear funny in the eyes of the international community who are standing by their side make things happen in such a critical moment.
It is an old adage that a toad does not run in daytime for nothing; either it is being chased or chases something. Top SLPP officials do not come down at APC’s feet for nothing. They are being chased by members of the international community to ensure sanity in the country’s electoral system. SLPP government would not like to lose the USD150m grant from the United States, they would also not forgo millions of dollars in aid from the EU, they would also not like to lose the USD400m under the Millennium Challenge Corporation and they would also like to UNDP continues to fund the judiciary among other things.
A government can be a government only when it possesses resources to take care of the people especially its workforce.
The whole business of democracy rests on free, fair and credible electoral system, but the people’s will is diverted when the elections are stolen. Professor Nic Cheeseman says in his book: ‘How to Rig Elections’ that there are many ways incumbent candidates rig elections.
Elections can be rigged through terror tactics and intimidation of voters, arrest and detention of opposition politicians by creating a police state, creation of violent environment to instil fear in the voters among other actions. Professor Cheeseman’s notion crystallised in Sierra Leone where voters were threatened and opposition politicians harassed, arrested and detained to keep them off from active politiking.
If they do not go off, they can participate but at a pace dictated by the ruling party.
In Sierra Leone’s situation, election was stolen broad daylight on June 27, 2023.
Voters were intimidated and sometimes arrested and beaten up, live rounds and teargas canisters fired on voting day to drive them away from polling centres. These actions occured mostly in opposition strongholds in the Northwest regions where APC expected to get the much-needed votes to take them in parliament.
As funding cuts hit Sierra Leone, government finds it difficult to provide for the people’s needs.
EU, UK, US, UNDP and other Western countries have stopped supporting Sierra Leone over voter fraud.
Without outside support, Sierra Leone is hard pressed at the moment, and turning to APC for peace and unity appears to be the only way out at the moment.
APC staged a boycott of parliament last month owing to alleged widespread rigging of June elections.
Mayors, chairmen and councillors too refused to go to councils, a move that has badly shocked government officials as they are being hard pressed by the international community.
President Julius Maada Bio and his government will be free from the quagmire only if APC cooperates with them. The international community does not want to see a one-party parliament.
But, it is now the reality since the election was stolen.
With an alleged threat of force, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh declared President Julius Maada Bio announced winner of June elections securing 56.17 percent of the total votes cast.
The figure surpassed the 55 percent constitutional threshold needed for a first-round victory.
Bio’s widely perceived fraudulent victory attracted criticisms from local and international election observers saying the “election lacked transparency.”
NEW (National Elections Watch), an umbrella body of all election observing civil society organisations too condemned the election results.
Its head, Marcella Samba Sesay made it clear that “Bio had lost the elections” during an interview at 98.1 Radio Democracy.
NEW’s press statement released days after the announcement of the election result confirmed that Bio did not win the election stating that no candidate got the 55 percent needed to avoid a run off.
These claims showed that rigging had taken place, but Bio rebuffed calls to step aside or hold a re-run.
From the onset, it is clear that Bio’s plan to rig the elections had been laid bare years back.
It started off in Konneh’ controversial appointment in 2021 contrary to the country’s highest law.
The 1991 Sierra Leone Constitution says all Political parties must be consulted in the appointment of the Chief Electoral Commissioner, a rule that was never observed.
In most respect, Konneh was handpicked by Bio apparently to do his bidding despite criticisms from opposition politicians. Even when the red flag was raised close to the elections about Konneh’s neutrality, government turned blind eye.
During a press conference at SLPP headquarters, Dr Harding boldly and bluntly stated that Konneh would conduct the elections.
The elections have been conducted with Bio declared as winner but why apologising and mesmerising APC members.
If SLPP bulldozed their way and enact most of country’s draconian laws at a time APC was very close in terms of the number of seats, what about now when the difference is just too great.
APC MPs Must Not Turn Back
