By Allieu S. Tunkara
A Peace deal and compromise between the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) and the breakaway group, National Reformation Movement has reached at a standstill. The APC Secretary-General, Ambassador Foday Osman Yanssaneh has been accused of causing the delays.
The delay has made it extremely difficult for a withdrawal of the NRM case against the APC pending in the High Court of Sierra Leone. It is a critical situation for the APC as the party heads for a convention in December this year where the adoption of a new constitution is widely expected.
Records seen by this press have shown that the mandate of the current APC executive has expired since October this year. The tenure of party officials, according to the executive, lasts for three years with a possibility of renewal of mandate in an event of satisfactory performance.
It is clear in the world of politics that when the mandate of a particular group of officials rides into the sunset, another set of qualified persons inherit the mantle of leadership.
But, the cherished principle, sources say, is widely reported that the APC scribe is jittery of yielding to the demands as he would not like to face fellow aspirants in the polls.
In a mobile phone interview, the APC Secretary-General, Ambassador Osman Foday Yanssaneh told this press that he still sticked to the MOU signed in Makeni.
“I am ready to respect the demands of the NRM signed in the MOU in Makeni,” the APC scribe said.
Mr Yansanneh made specific reference to one of the demands made by the NRM which says there should be no more appointment. The demand to appoint an Independent Electoral Management Body contradicts an earlier position taken by the NRM that there should be no more appointment.
What remains the main stumbling block in the matter, according to NRM members is the signing of a consent judgment form by the APC Sectary-General so that the case could be withdrawn from court.
Mr Yanssaneh however has told Nightwatch that he was ready to sign the form as long as it is to ensure peace and unity of the party. The NRM maintains the stance that if the document remains unsigned, the case would hardly be withdrawn from the court.
An NRM source has intimated this press that the APC scribe seems to be in no mood to append his signature on a document containing NRM demands.
The demands, sources say, are not in favour of the current executive. The NRM demands are contained in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the APC and the NRM few weeks back in the north-eastern Headquaters of Makeni.
The expunge of the selection clause contained in the 1995 APC Constitution, tagging the age of a youth aspirant from 1-35 yrs and the conduct of elections within the party by an Elections Management Committee (EMC) were the demands that loom high in the NRM agenda.
The demands stand prominent among top officials as well as rank and file of the NRM and it is needless to say the case between the two entities would be withdrawn from the court only if the afore-mentioned conditions are met.
The demands are critical for APC reforms as it is hoped that the removal of the selection clause from the APC Constitution would create a level playing field for all aspirants of various positions.
The selection clause is about top party officials or an official appoints or chooses party functionaries at their own choice.
To many APC stalwarts, the selection clause is largely responsible for the defeat of the APC in the 2018 polls, and they strongly argue that the mistake of the past should not be allowed to occur.
For the youth-Age factor, the NRM’s position is very clear.
Their position says youths aspiring for several positions in the party either at district, regional or national level should not be above 35yrs.
The last conditionality, arguably the most controversial is the erosion of power of conducting elections from the APC National Executive.
The NRM’s advanced that an Elections Management Committee (EMC) be set up to conduct elections from constituency, district, regional and national levels.
The aim is to prevent unfair electoral manipulations within the party.
The controversy between the APC and the NRM began in January this year when the latter sought an injunction from the High Court to restrain the former from adopting the new constitution.
Initially, the most controversial issue at that time was to remove the selection clause so that aspirants within the party occupy their positions based on the will of the majority of the people.
At the time the injunction was slammed against the APC, top party functionaries were cramped in a convention in the north-western Headquaters of PortLoko to adopt an APC Constitution that retains the selection clause.
Former President and Chairman and Leader of the APC, Ernest Bai Koroma was in attendance at the futile and stillbirth Convention in PortLoko.
Some Sierra Leonean diasporans in different parts of the world also came to graced the occasion which was counter-productive owing to the court’s injunction.
In spite of the stance taken by the NRM, the APC was pressed to have the constitution adopted as NRM members were not recognised as APC members.
The APC’s move was to defeat the Locus Standi (the right to sue) of the NRM. Had the APC succeeded, the NRM’s case would have been thrown out of court.
The court’s decision would have negatively impacted NRM as they would have ceased to be members of the APC owing to a predicted ruling.
They would have become members only when they opted for fresh registration.
In a fierce move, the NRM contested the APC claiming that they are bonafide and paid up members of the APC.
The two entities had it hot in the high court to establish who is right or wrong.
The NRM members who are the plaintiffs were represented by Counsel Hindolo Ngevao who is also a member of parliament representing the Sierra Leone People’s Party.
The APC being the defendant was represented by a group of lawyers led by Counsel Wara Serry Kamal.
The Presiding judge, Justice Komba Kamanda was tasked to answer a specific question as to whether the NRM members are legitimate members of the APC.
The case is yet to reach its end as it had been put on hold owing to protracted negotiations between the APC and the NRM.
Signs of peace and compromise between the NRM and the APC were already apparently clear quite lately compelling many Sierra Leoneans to say peace has returned to the party.
Top APC officials recently seemed very much ready for peace with the NRM as they allowed NRM members to use facilities of the party Headquaters and other facilities in the provinces.
But, the latest delay tactics put up the Secretary-General in failing to sign a crucial document raised new and big clouds of suspicions.
The big hope for peace in the APC that was recently prevalent has been dashed.
Fears continue to ride high among the party’s rank and file as to whether the December convention will materialise in the face of a court injunction that is still in force.
A number of party officials have told this press that time is no longer in their favour noting that the NRM case should be withdrawn from the court and the convention held.
An APC stalwart who spoke to this press on condition of anonymity says any delay in the withdrawal of the NRM case would count against the APC chances to win the 2023 elections.
He spoke against the background of fighting an incumbent government that is showing no readiness to rule for just one term.
He told this press that the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party is busy strategising for a resounding second term mandate that will see them at the helm for another term of five years.
“It will be very terrible for a country that is lagged behind in terms of development for years. If the SLPP comes back, it will be another misery for the country,” he says.
He thereby called on the APC Secretary-General, and other party stakeholders to give up their pride and ego to ensure that the party comes back to power in 2023.
But, the question most APC members have frequently asked is whether the party’s top executive would bow to the NRM demands for the party to emerge victorious in the 2023 polls.