A watershed moment confronts the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) as the Tripartite Committee rounds up the election probe.
According to a letter seen by this press, the ruling party, in a state of hysteria, has appealed to the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) to attend a meeting where issues relating to the Tripartite Committee would be discussed. “I write to invite you to a meeting to discuss pertinent issues relating to the continued operations of the Tripartite Committee particularly on Resolution-3 of the agreement for national unity,” a portion of the letter reads. Resolution-3 in the communiqué is about the probe of the alleged electoral fraud.
The Tripartite Committee is a product of a communiqué signed between the ruling and opposition political parties and Development Partners to look into June 24, 2023 multi-tier elections and make appropriate recommendations to government as laid down by Resolution-3.
The fear of a negative recommendation at the end of the committee’s work might have prompted the Chief Ministry, through a letter, to appeal for fresh negotiation with APC leader, Dr Samura Kamara.
The letter which was addressed to APC’s flag-bearer and presidential candidate noted that the main discussion will be centered on Resolution-3 of the communiqué.
“…In order to address any outstanding or emerging concerns including the suggestion for an expanded committee meeting to be convened, this meeting will be attended by two lead negotiators, the three co-chairs as well as other committee members,” the letter also reads.
SLPP’s appeal which comes in the nick of time purports to discuss issues emerging from the election probe being carried out by the Tripartite Committee.
The issue to be addressed remains unclear in the letter, but analysts say it is a form of fresh negotiation that the ruling party wanted to go into with the main opposition party. But, many say the election experts as well as representatives from the three main groups are competent enough to handle any emerging issue without another fresh negotiation.
The letter however leaked before it landed in the hands of the addressee, a situation that created a big backlash from APC grassroot members calling on their leader not to attend such meeting.
Some APC members even threatened to attack Samura Kamara if he attempted to respond to the Chief Minister’s call owing to fear of smearing image of their leader by way of damaging allegations for which SLPP is well known.
APC supporters drew their experience from the recent allegation leveled against Samura Kamara of a sell-out for $2m to SLPP following a secret meeting with President Julius Maada Bio at State House.
Known for their propaganda tactics, the fear of SLPP making huge political gains from the visit also reigns high, and there is no way the APC grassroot members would allow such a meeting to go as planned.
Other APC supporters also looked back at the big bait swallowed by former Defence Minister, Alfred Paolo Conteh when he was invited by President Maada Bio to help in the Anti-Corona campaign in March, 2020.
Mr Conteh was slammed with a treason charge when he mistakenly carried a pistol to the Office of the President.
Over the years, the PAOPA government has also gained notoriety for failing to honour obligations incurred from agreements they voluntarily go into with other parties.
APC parliamentarians, mayors, chairmen and councillors would never forget however they were deceived into taking their seats in parliament when SLPP government promised to pay them their backlogs on the day the communiqué was inked. Where is the backlog pay?
The PAOPA regime also promised APC that they will release all political detainees, discontinue political trials and resettle victims of political violence if they end their non-participation in state governance.
With such sugar-coated words, APC’s elected officials took their seats in parliament and local councils across the country for effective state governance.
To date, no political prisoner has been released, no political case discontinued and no victim of political violence taken back to their community. Such is the deceptive nature of the PAOPA regime which is well known for being good at signing documents but poor at implementing.
Faced with the current situation, APC grassroot members have a genuine cause to turn to the Election Investigation committee which represents their last hope.
They strongly rely on the Tripartite Committee which will come out with their recommendations when it shall have ended its investigation next month.
According to a press briefing held last Wednesday at the APC headquarters in Freetown, APC’s Co-Chair, Dr Kaifala Marrah said the two key election management bodies, the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) and the National Civil Registration Authority had failed to cooperate with the election probe.
The two bodies, in spite of persistent requestS, still hold on to crucial documents demanded by the committee to complete its investigation, a move that goes a long way to show that the election is rigged in favour of the incumbent candidate.
ECSL which has the legal mandate to conduct public elections and referenda in Sierra Leone is the least in terms of cooperation with the Tripartite Committee.
According to reports emanating from the Committee, the election boss has submitted just partial results announced in late June, last year in favour of the ruling party fearing negative consequences. He has failed to publish the election results in the Sierra Leone Gazette which is the official channel of communication between the government and the public.
Legal experts have consistently argued that the failure by the Chief Electoral Commissioner to publish the results is almost equal to treason as he stole the will of the people of Sierra Leone thereby depriving them of quality leadership.
The Chief Minister’s last-minute appeal to the main opposition party, according to political analysts seems to be a continuation of one made by President Julius in his address to the nation immediately after he was sworn in.
President Bio, at that time, appealed to Dr Samura Kamara to work with him for the peace, stability and development of this nation. The appeal however means beating a dead horse as Kamara never responded to the call.
However, it is yet unclear where will the resistance to the election probe lead the PAOPA regime as the people of Sierra Leone and the international community writes on the same page. Both have always appealed to the investigators to get to the bottom of the probe devoid of any political gimmick.
It is the uncompromising search for the truth that former US Ambassador, David Reimer condemned the move to have Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh lead the election probe.
From the outset, SLPP is jittery and panic stricken about the election probe as they have little hope in the election probe owing to local and international reports about June 24, 2023 elections.
The United Nations, European Union, Commonwealth, African Union, Economic Community Of West African States and the G7+ election reports indicated that the June polls lacked transparency and credibility at all stages and must be investigated. The Carter Centre report did not only condemn the election results but also recommended that those who undermined democracy in Sierra Leone should be held accountable.
In maintaining their tough stance, the international community has stopped funding and cut off cooperation with the PAOPA government which is widely seen by the international community as an “illegitimate regime.”
Currently, APC grassroot members have drawn the attention of the Tripartite Committee to their demands that either Samura Kamara is declared President of Sierra Leone or fresh or rerun election is held and they need no compromise.