As 2028 election approaches, senior APC (All People’s Congress) politicians, have already endorsed a third term for the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
If the plan works, the ruling party will make a new record since the introduction of multi-party politics in Sierra Leone.
APC’s endorsement of SLPP for the third term is manifested by their words and actions after the announcement of the June, 2023 elections leaving their grassroots members in the dark and disappointment.
The party’s Secretary-General, Lansana Dumbuya who fell into the police net quite lately was on record to have said “the June 24, 2023 elections is a spilled milk,” meaning everything was over, and they should look forward to 2028.
He ignored all good pieces of advice from senior members of the party that if they fail to correct the current wrong, they will never get it right again.
As probe into the 2023 polls was going on, Dumbuya persisted in his campaign for 2028 using radio stations as his platform to lay emphasis on the six-month expiration of the tenure of Samura Kamara as stated by one of the clauses of the APC Constitution.
He was also alleged to have played a key role in shutting down Kamara’s offices at the APC headquarters saying “Kamara’s tenure is over after six months.”
He does not stop at the campaign for 2028 but goes further to weaken the party as he failed to put in place the necessary structures that will ensure a formidable force ahead of 2028 elections.
Currently, reports are rife that APC is bereft of funds to embark on any active campaign for the 2028 polls thereby creating a smooth ride for SLPP to clinch victory again, a move that will take SLPP for a third term.
As Secretary-General of the party, the vast majority of APC members expect him to reach out key sponsors and partners including those in the diaspora to raise the much-needed money to run the party at such a crucial moment.
It is also clear that Dumbuya an albatross hangs on Dumbuya’s neck as no one knows where his alleged disrespectful statement against the presidency will lead him.
A video that has gone viral on media platforms showed the APC’s scribe in handcuff descending from a prison vehicle meaning his authority is at a low ebb at the moment.
Discussions about when this case would end has raised more questions than answers, and his seeming effort to sabotage APC will go on unabated leaving several APC supporters in a quandary.
Many of these supporters hold a view that Dumbuya has nothing to offer to the party, and his stay is just a mere waste of time.
Without hesitation, a senior APC politician says Dumbuya’s “lacklustre and moribund leadership” of the party has annoyed and disappointed many grassroots members and supporters as none is willing to put money in the party’s coffers.
At this moment, the party does not only lack funds but also cooperation from its membership to take on SLPP in the 2028 polls.
An insider source in the APC had told this press that it was Lansana Dumbuya’s conduct that led to the popular statement that “2023 elections is done and dusted.”
The quoted statement has echoed through the airwaves and captured newspaper headlines since it comes from an APC stalwart, the party’s Publicity Secretary.
The APC’s scribe is not alone to ensure that SLPP still legally stays at State House after 2028 as his boss; Minkailu Mansaray has been treading on the same path.
Mansaray who is APC Chairman, from the outset, appears that he no longer wants to see his party in power till after his death.
By his public statements, Mansaray has always remained opposed to the probe of the June, 2023 election, a move that many APC supporters hope would restore their party to power.
At a meeting held at the APC headquarters almost two years ago, the Chairman publicly distanced himself from the Tripartite investigation.
“Let them carry on their investigation while we are doing our own business here.”
This statement was treated with a pinch of salt by those grassroots members who either did not know what was meant or were just enjoying the euphoria of politicking through blind support of politicians.
But, it was a different thing for senior politicians of the party, political commentators and analysts since they can read between the lines and interpret.
They argue that the APC Chairman has strayed outside the right path by going against his party’s stance and its only hope-The election probe.
It is clear that it is only the implementation of the Tripartite recommendations that may bring APC to State House, and any other move other than the Tripartite Committee would see APC in long-term opposition.
Minkailu Mansaray also exposed his disloyalty to his party for failing to respond appropriately to somewhat derogatory and provocative statements uttered against his party by his counterpart, Prince Harding who said “SLPP would not hand over power to mad men.”
An interpretation of this statement means that APC politicians including the executive officials are mad and therefore irresponsible.
Mansaray was also mute when the Chief Minister, David Sengeh referred to the executive as “unprogressive,” adding that “one cannot eat his cake and have it.”
If the Chief Minister’s statement is understood properly by critical minds, it imputes corruption on the part of the APC executive making allegations of exchanging the people’s votes for pittance against them steadily becoming watertight.
The suspicion of selling the votes was recently strengthened by an APC politician, Thomas Babadi who said in a media discussion that “this current APC does not reflect the APC he knows before this time.”
As 2028 polls draw near, the APC’s Chairman’s whereabouts remain unknown with many saying that he is battling with his health either in Ghana or India.
Apart from the conduct of the APC’s Chairman and the scribe, Sierra Leone’s former Head of State and APC leader appears to have caused the greatest disappointment for the APC.
While in exile in Nigeria owing to a treason charge, Ernest Koroma recently released an audio that June, 2023 election was over, and the party had to look forward to 2028 knowing fully well that APC would not win the election.
Koroma pointed a finger of blame at Samura Kamara for APC’s defeat saying that “he is the least prepared of all flag-bearer aspirants” when he took up the party’s leadership.
This statement further implicates the former President for selling out to SLPP as the people insistently asked why did he support Samura Kamara without correcting the fault of “least-preparedness.”
Many APC supporters even see Ernest Koroma’s exile as somewhat “self-imposed” to evade pressure from the APC grassroots after he promised them to bring the party back to power in 2023.