Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio is facing a big setback within his party as chairmen of constituencies reject his plan to choose a flagbearer the party for the 2028 general elections.
Relying on the party’s National Chairman, Jimmy Batilo Songa, Bio’s initial plan was to decide who should be SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party)’s next flag-bearer as the election fast approaches.
In a sudden twist of event, a highly hopeful Batilo Songa’s decision to let Bio choose the 2028 flag-bearer for the party was rejected outright in an SLPP meeting held few days ago.
The constituency chairmen unanimously held the view that it is the people and party’s delegates who should choose the next flagbearer of the party and not President Bio.
SLPP politicians, insider sources say, have been keeping a watchful eye over the APC (All People’s Congress)’s dilemma because they allowed an outgoing Leader and President to choose their flag-bearer for the 2018 election.
It is through such a decision that ex-president, Ernest Koroma held the APC to ransom for close to eight years, and the party is still under his captivity.
The move, by all standards, is a bad one and that SLPP chairmen refuse to make such blunder to keep their party safe from Bio’s remote control when he shall have given up power as he promised during a speech in parliament.
SLPP’s decision came few days after President Bio assured members of the opposition party, All People’s Congress (APC) that his government was fully committed to the implementation of the Tripartite Committee’s recommendations and the peaceful political transition.
Bio made the long-awaited assurance while addressing lawmakers on the achievements his government recorded in the past one year.
“My government remains committed to credible elections, constitutional governance and the peaceful transfer of political authority,” President Bio assured APC politicians.
The aborted plan marks a watershed moment for Bio and cronies (the PAOPA Boys) who have expected their party to remain in power after 2028 elections. PAOPA is an “ethnic militant cabal” and their members, believes in the forceful acquisition and exercise of political power as observed by the 2023 presidential candidate, Samura Kamara.
Their core principles are based on consistency, persistency and insistency in the pursuit and retention of power caring less about the consequences.
These principles have hallmarked PAOPA’s rule for the past eight years as shown by its intimidation, one-party project, terror tactics, and widespread abuses of human rights particularly the right to life and the regulation of every aspect of man’s life.
The vast majority of ‘PAOPA’ members remain vehemently averse to the handing over of power to the APC either they win an election or not as their plan was to stay in power for at least two decades drawing parallels with the APC regime which ruled Sierra Leone for over two decades (1968-1992).
Despite their beautiful academic credentials which they take pride in, the PAOPA boys have fast forgotten that times have changed as the politics of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s will never be the same as today.
Those were the early days of the United Nations and the world’s transitions from the rule despots, autocrats and absolute monarchs to democracies.
It was a period in which countries are yet to grasp the meaning of democratic governance.
Sierra Leoneans have always called for democracy and not otherwise as they believe that sovereignty belongs to them as a people.
However, poised to pleased his ‘PAOPA’ boys, President Bio who appeared to have lent a leaf from the page of his immediate predecessor, Ernest Koroma have been offering promises of hope to them.
Bio is reported to have worked closely with former President Koroma to convince his followers that power would not change hands.
The first move he embarked on was to tamper with SLPP’s constitution to establish him leader of the party and the Vice President, Deputy Leader even after their tenure in state offices ends.
The move is to influence the party from behind the scenes when he shall have relinquished power after 2028.
Sierra Leone’s constitutions does not support a third terms as it provides for only two terms either consecutive or not. The current Chairman of the party, Batilo Songa would still remain Chairman but a mere yes-man to Bio even when his presidency is ending. It is the same as Minkailu Mansaray, APC’s then Chairman who remained loyal and subservient to Ernest Koroma even after his presidency.
President Bio’s tampering with the SLPP constitution, few years ago, signaled hope for the PAOPA guys as some SLPP grassroot members thought that their leader, President Bio meant business.
Their hope was bolstered when President Bio assured them of not handing over power to APC come what may.
SLPP’s erstwhile Chairman, Alex Prince Harding also supported the move for the consolidation of power in Bio’s hands when he pronounced the one-party project in Sierra Leone.
In most of his public appearances, Prince Harding would inform his party comrades that a one-party system was possible in Sierra Leone as he constantly made reference to a party in Mexico which ruled the country for over 70 years.
He further emphasised that the government-imposed proportional representation system has proved that the one-party project will hold and it was needless for SLPP to transfer power to the APC “mad men.”
Embroiled into ecstasy about the promises, the ‘PAOPA’ supporters continued to provide all sorts of support for the regime not until Friday’s revelation in parliament brought a different mindset.
Former President Koroma also embarked on similar move at a time he was riding into the sunset in late 2018.
He assured APC members and supporters including the party’s top cream that he would ensure that the party remains at State House after 2018 elections.
APC members including senior politicians reposed strong confidence in the former President, but the hope was dashed when Koroma informed them about a British-supported “regime change.”
The information was a great shock that sent senior APC politicians into fear and panic frenzy. But, time was too late as the results were speedily announced and Bio sworn in at the Raddison Blu Hotel in Freetown.
The offence of treason would have trapped any APC politician who attempted to remove Bio by force after the swearing-in ceremony.
Had Bio got his way by manipulating SLPP members, he would have enjoyed the backing and protection of his party, akin to the protection enjoyed by former President Koroma from attempted arrest for various crimes.
Koroma was accused of corruption, money laundering and treason after he left power.
His bank accounts were frozen and summoned by the defunct commissions of inquiry as a person of interest.
Bio’s attempt to arrest the former President in his hometown of Makeni met with stiff and robust resistance by APC supporters who converged at the entrance of his house to protect him as their party leader.
Police and ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission) personnel who attempted to effect the arrest were resisted by the cultic ‘Poro’ and ‘Tamaboro’ members threatened who threatened to use magic powers to safeguard the former President.
After hours of resistance, the investigative personnel returned to Freetown without accomplishing their mission.
Similar scenes of violent protest were put up by APC members when police moved in to arrest former President Koroma who was accused of treason in November, 2023.
Koroma was said to have financed his former military aides to topple Bio’s regime on 26th November, 2023, a day before the commencement of the election probe by the Tripartite Committee.
Uneasy calm hanged on the atmosphere especially when the former Head of State was humbled in a magistrate court in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital.
But, calm returned to the country only after Koroma went into exile in Nigeria through the intervention of the sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS.
Koroma is safe in the hands of ECOWAS through the tough stance taken by his party members. He was under tough protection when he arrived in Sierra Leone with ECOWAS leaders to grace the 69th Ordinary Session.
Similarly, If Bio succeeds in his bid for SLPP leadership after his presidency, he also hopes to get the backing of his party members should the incoming government goes after him for corruption, money laundering, drugs trafficking and crimes against humanity.
Bio is currently at loggerheads with the international community for human rights crimes committed under his watch without punishing the perpetrators.
Netherlands and other European countries also close in on his regime for allegedly harbouring drug lords who exports drugs to Europe.
Jos Leijdekkers, Europe’s most wanted drug criminal is reportedly sheltered in Sierra Leone, and the Bio regime is also accused of corruption and money laundering.
President Bio hopes to be protected if his political machinations and shenanigans work in the SLPP the same way Koroma’s gimmicks work for the APC.
But, the stance taken by SLPP’s constituency chairmen means that there will be no easy pushover for Bio.