Current political trends have shown that hope for a victory for the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) in 2023 is slim and faint owing to a sell-out by party officials to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party.
A credible insider source within the APC has intimated this press that the sell-out is to keep top party officials safe from prosecution, seizure or confiscation of personal assets.
The sell-out, he says, is evidenced by the delayed withdrawal of the NRM case from the court, no date slated for the national convention, persistent complaints of shortage of funds in the party coffers.
The source also told this press that the mandate of the current APC executive has expired, but they would not like to go so that the sell-out game would be strengthened.
The combination of these factors would hinder the chances of the party coming back to power in 2023.
The source further intimidated this press that top APC officials are busy doing the bidding for the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party to ensure that APC loses the 2023 elections.
Every opportunity is being sought, and avenue explored for the realisation of the objective.
The source narrated a number of factors which he says are at play in the APC which constitute a big sell out to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party.
The first factor identified by the source about the sell-out is the delay in the withdrawal of a case filed by the National Reformation Movement (NRM) against the APC.
The NRM is an offshoot of the APC, and it comprises active youths who want to see radical reforms within the party.
One of the main factors that compelled the NRM to opt for a lawsuit against its parent body, the APC was the determination of the executive to adopt a constitution that contains a selection clause.
The clause does not allow an election to take place for various positions within the party including that of the flag-bearer aspirant.
The clause confers powers on APC’s top executive to select party officials in various offices including the flag-bearer.
To the NRM, the constitution is not in the interest of the party, and should therefore be cancelled and replaced with a new constitution.
A high court injunction was slammed against the APC in early January this year, while party officials were in a press conference to adopt the selection clause constitution commonly known as the 1995 APC Constitution.
The constitutional controversy landed the two entities in the High Court of Sierra Leone, and the matter dragged on for months.
As the party appears very close to the elections, the two entities decided to strike a compromise so that the case could be withdrawn from the court.
Records seen by this press show that the paper work for the compromise between the two parties has been done, but the case is yet to be withdrawn.
If the situation continues, the source says, it would be difficult for the much expected national convention to take place.
The delay tactics in the withdrawal of the NRM case from the court is widely seen as a political gimmick for the current executive to continue to hold on to power against the party’s constitution.
A great fear, the source continues, has gripped party officials as relinquishing powers to a new executive sounds their death-knell.
It is crystal clear that most party officials were once former ministers whose hands have been allegedly been on the loot throughout their reign.
The only haven now is their political parties where they hope to get solace and protection in an event of a government crackdown.
The source further states that the sell-out of the party first showcased by the removal of the former Vice President, Chief Samuel Sam Sumana from the party sometime in 2015.
The source explained that Chief Sam’s expulsion from the party and eventual sacking from Office of the Vice President was a calculated ploy masterminded by top officials of the party.
No justification exists for such removal; the only latent reason is the fear of Sam Sumana Factor within the APC fold.
Fear and panic gripped party officials as it was widely expected that Chief Sam would take over from former President, Ernest Bai Koroma should Vice President Sam Sumana remained at the helm.
Now, Chief Sam is back with a determination to clinch the flag-bearer ticket for the APC, but fear and doubts continue as to whether Chief Sam would extend an Olive Branch to the party officials who felt they had done wrong.
The fear is great and it continues although the Chief has shown some signs of forgiveness and reconciliation with the wrong doers.
Strengthening their resolve to realise their objective, the source explained, prompted the APC executive to betray the erstwhile Publicity Secretary, Cornelius Deveaux who now lives in Exile.
Deveaux’s betrayal was bare for all to see owing to the failure of the party to come to his aid at a time of nightmare and despair.
It has been alleged that facts emerging from secret quarters indicate that Warrant of Arrest said to have been issued for the arrest of the former Publicity Secretary is widely believed to be incredible.
It was the view of the party officials that should they fail to get rid of Mr Deveaux, their plan would hardly succeed.
The game plan was made clear by failure of the party to issue a press release that would have indicated the party’s position on the Warrant of Arrest.
The battery of fine lawyers APC takes pride in never showed up at the Sierra Leone Police Headquaters to make representation for Deveaux, and to inquire the factual basis of the Warrant of Arrest.
It was also apparently clear that the erstwhile Publicity Secretary was the most defensive of the party at a time its officials were targeted for harassment and intimidation.
Mr Deveaux who was fearless in his defence against the party had it hot with government officials on several issues particularly in the setting up of the Commissions of Inquiry (COI) to investigate officials of the past APC regime.
Deveaux was a man who made no mince of words in ensuring that the right thing is done by making sure that the principles of democratic good governance is upheld.
His arguments with government spokesmen are direct and fearless in the face of an unprecedented level of violence and thuggery ever seen in Sierras Leone.
His blunt and brave arguments which were meant to defend the party earned him the wrath of his APC comrades who want to see him out of the country.
It came to pass as Deveaux was chased out of the country so that the APC ploy would hold.
On the eve marking the setting up of the COI, Cornelius Deveaux urged past APC ministers and their deputies not to submit to an illegal entity.
Mr Deveaux saw the COI as illegal since government officials did not go through due process of setting it up.
Despite his brilliant arguments and repeated calls for party officials not to attend the COI owing to its illegality, some ministers attended.
The move depicted a clear showcase of betrayal on the part of the APC ministers.
Apart from the COI factor, Cornelius Deveaux was also similarly harassed, intimidated and molested by state security operatives over his stand against a High Court verdict that stripped the APC of ten parliamentary seats.
On the eve of delivering the verdict, the erstwhile Publicity Secretary called on APC supporters across the country to wear red to show that that they would not countenance the court verdict.
To Mr Deveaux, the verdict to be issued would not be fair implying that APC would lose most of the seats for which it has worked very hard to earn.
Mr Deveaux’s prediction came true as APC lost ten seats on that fateful day.
At the time the verdict was handed down, Mr Deveaux was at the APC Headquaters in an apparent show of love for and loyalty to a party he cherished so much.
Video footages showed that while Deveaux was in the premises of APC Headquaters with few APC supporters, Well-armed police officers appeared at the party office at Brookfields community and fired teargas canisters.
Cornelius Deveaux was the key target, but narrowly escaped death and police arrest.
Police illegal and brutal action at the party office represented one of the greatest policing disasters in modern Sierra Leone.
Today, Cornelius Deveaux is out of the scene, but the effect still looms.
Owing to the sell-out, the party’s chances of bouncing back to power still remain doubtful.