The much trumpeted one-term Presidency of Julius Maada Bio is gaining momentum in the recent past after since it has come from former President Ernest Bai Koroma a week ago. President Koroma’s declaration of Bio’s one-term presidency contradicts popularly held belief that a President in a democracy must hold power for two terms.
The two-term belief means that either the President performs or not he must be there for two terms. As the one-term mantra continues, the people of Sierra Leone are still jittery about whether it would work as a capture of public institutions is clear like crystals. One of these institutions is the National Electoral Commission (NEC), a body that conducts elections in the country.
It has reported on numbers without count that NEC is over congested with south-easterners. In responding to the conspiracy belief about the state capture, the former President said “Even if all workers of NEC are members of the Bio family, President Bio would go in 2023.”
Bio’s one term presidency was first popularised by men in the street at the initial phase of his governance, and now it has come from a former head of state.
Koroma who was addressing a group of APC (All People’s Congress) members made it clear that President Bio had to go in 2023 since he had failed to meet the people’s aspirations.
“In a democracy, a president could be maintained only when he works hard. There is no need for the President to be maintained with weak performance,” Bio’s defeat in the 2023 elections has always been the main talking point of the president’s speeches quite lately.
The statement has raised great fears among officials of SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) government who see it as a moral right for a democratically president to serve two terms. Some however appears confident that Bio would rely on the power of the incumbency to turn situation in his favour.
SLPP stalwarts have a genuine cause for being fearful. The former head of state made the statement just few weeks after he was visited by members of the diplomatic community including British High Commissioner.
Koroma’s meeting with the diplomats was close-door; only those in the meeting knew exactly what transpired. Most Sierra Leoneans were taken aback saying such has never happened in the political history of Sierra Leone.
Observers in the media and the public have not held back their reservations on the high esteem to which the former President is held by the diplomatic community.
Despite the fear, some SLPP supporters remain confident that President Bio would not play second fiddle to the APC in the 2023 polls. SLPP’s confidence is always bolstered by President Bio who often says at SLPP gatherings that he would never hand over power to APC.
The country’s first lady, Fatima Bio has also expressed similar comments. She was quoted to have said “Bio knows how to handle APC.” The confident SLPP supporters are clueless about what appears as a Bio’s political manoeuvring for a transition. Confidence building measures of a President who has seemingly lost a political battle should not be trusted. The supporters ought to have smelled the rat by going deeply into discrepancies of President Bio’s declarations and actions.
A president who is desirous to return to power in the second term must not abuse public confidence as well as the confidence of the state security apparatus. The police are deeply frustrated after a good number had their ranks reduced, and others dismissed.
Police officers from south-eastern backgrounds got a good number of the promotions released quite lately. It is the same discrimination, sources say, that is taking place within the army.
Some military personnel are behind bars while others have fled away. Former Aide to President Koroma, Captain Kamara would have remained behind bars if he had not escaped to a haven.
Bio’s opaque moves for a transition is also seen in the recent demotion of former SLPP leader, Dr Prince Harding, one of the party’s most experienced politicians. Prior to the recent manipulation of SLPP’s constitution, Dr Harding was the highest authority in the party.
Now, he has been relegated to third as Bio and his deputy, Juldeh Jalloh is leader and deputy leader of SLPP respectively. Plan to get Harding to the bottom rungs of the hierarchy was deliberate.
Considering his rich political experience, it would be difficult for Bio to ensure a transition if Harding is left untouched. Moves by Presidents to transfer power to opposition parties have always been a closely-guarded secret.
An experienced politician within SLPP who begged not to be named has told this press that to say Bio is one-term is no question of maverick. The lethal statement, he said, was being hyped at a time SLPP members especially those in the diaspora would soon challenge Bio’s re-election as SLPP flag-bearer.
A reliable source has also intimated this press that members of SLPP in the diaspora are already here, and others are willing to jet in to support the move take on President Bio on his flag-bearership election.
They argue that Bio’s emergence as flag-bearer in the last convention is undemocratic saying he was not voted in. Others also hold the view that Bio was not qualified to get the party’s flag for the 2023 elections adding that one is entitled to stand only twice as flag-bearer.
Late Solomon Ekuma Berewa who stood once, and became ex-officio in the party was cited as a bright example. Despite Berewa’s diligent service to the party and state, he respected the constitution when he lost, and became ex-officio till his death almost two years ago.
Bio is a different case altogether. He and his cronies came to power under the ‘PAOPA’ ideology which means to get power and govern by the use of force or coercion. Bio’s ‘PAOPA’ campaign started in 2017 when it was clear to him that his days in SLPP were over after he lost the elections in 2012 to former President Koroma.
He continued to hold the forte after the elections knowing fully well that he was no longer supposed to be there. It was an open defiance of PPRC (Political Parties Registration Commission), an agency that regulates the conduct and operations of all political parties in Sierra Leone.
PPRC was of the strong view that Bio (former flag-bearer at that time) had to hand over party paraphernalia as his days had long gone. The former flag-bearer was emboldened to hold on to power by few henchmen around him especially sons of Kenema.
The Kenema guys would readily embrace the ‘PAOPA’ movement after they were brainwashed into believing that they had been left behind in the provision of essential services. The trend of violence continues since POPA is about insistency, persistency and consistency.
Under cover of ‘PAOPA,’ Bio would not like to go next year, but he has to go as signs are visible that the people of Sierra Leone are fed up with his leadership. Sierra Leone has lagged behind for five years, and the people would like again to see it fall further.
President Bio has failed in almost every facet of development including education which is his government’s flagship. The country’s social services have stagnated with roads project being the most glaring.
Sierra Leone’s roads still remain in the state they were left almost five years ago by the past government signalling a weak and incompetent SLPP government. The fight against corruption is still one of the greatest comedy shows as State House itself is corrupt to the core according to studies by institutions of accountability. Why should Bio not go in 2023 considering the marked failures? A member of the public has asked.
Only time will tell.