Weak links seem to have filled the ranks of APC (All People’s Congress) Public Relations wing making it difficult to adopt the right communication tools at such a crucial time.
The opposition party is currently faced with an opinion crisis of being a lawless, rudderless and violent party at a time peace is urgently needed as the country approaches 2028 elections.
Violent scenes at Attouga Mini Stadium east of Freetown and the APC center in the Northern town of Masiaka and other parts of the country portrays APC as a party not yet ready for peace and stability in the country.
It could be said also that they are less prepared for 2028 elections, an opportunity the people are waiting to vote for change.
The current violent scenes present a big task for the PR wing which must put up a comprehensive communication plan/strategy with clear-cut messages after a clear analysis of the prevailing political situation in the country.
Once approved by the APC leadership, the communication plan should take APC’s PR officials to various parts of the country especially flashpoints of violence to educate the youth about the importance of peace.
Sidi Yayah Tunis is APC’s Publicity Secretary assisted by Mohamed Pope Kamara as well other officials who form the party’s PR team notably Minkailu Koroma.
The PR team, by its composition, seems to be a tough one, but the team lead, Tunis appears to have shown less interest in his work in recent times probably owing to allegations of a sell-out.
He is usually widely reported to have said he no longer had interest in the APC, and that the PR position he holds will be his last and final post in the party. Others said he is considering to step down and join ranks with the ruling SLPP.
His recent arguments on the media against his own party is a clear indication that he is not ready again to do any PR for APC especially when argues that if the 2023 elections should be re-counted, the 2007 polls too should be subjected to the same counting.
Such statements came from the PR magnate owing to allegations of collusion with the ruling party to sell APC’s victory hence his snail-pace moves to educate the APC youth about the benefits of peace and political tolerance for the party.
Sometimes in PR discussions, Tunis often get it hot with journalists for failing to inform his people about the truth and to tell them to be peaceful and orderly especially during public gatherings.
However, a popular argument holds if the lead is less active, the assistant should be active and the vast majority of APC members wanted to see Mohamed Kamara taking over the PR activities of the party and sensitize the youth about peace.
Kamara too seems to have shown less interest in the PR work of his party owing to a plethora of allegations leveled against him for taking bribes from the ruling party to damage APC’s chances in the ballot box.
The whole business of Public Relations is built on trust, and there is no PR where is no trust.
The bribery allegations are very serious, and can smear the party’s image, a factor that will water down any effort by APC to come back to power in the near future. The vocal Minkailu Koroma who usually steps in to assist the PR team, most times outline, the party’s achievements, but not to respond to the scathing made by politicians from the other side.
The allegations are serious but more dangerous when none of the officials has ever called a conference to debunk them, and the statements by SLPP officials against the party leadership strengthen the suspicion.
Recently, Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh is on record for labeling APC as an “unprogressive party” that make up politicians who have eaten their cake and wanted it back.
“You cannot eat your cake and have it,” he emphasized while tagging the APC as an unserious political party.
The minister’s statement has been analyzed by political observers that one cannot own what he has sold lending credence to the widely held suspicion that APC politicians have sold their birthright to the SLPP for pittance.
Few days back, a video that has gone viral on media platforms depicts the Chief Minister making allegations against top-notch APC politicians as being responsible for misleading Samura Kamara about the June, 2023 polls.
The names of Dr. Kaifala Marrah, APC’s lead negotiator in the Tripartite Committee and Osman Timbo, the party’s Deputy Secretary-General came up.
Without any response to such claims, another senior SLPP politician threatened to publish the videos of those collecting bribes from the SLPP leadership especially at night.
All APC leaders went quiet when such statement was made, and they became weak and docile when ex-SLPP chairman, Dr. Prince Harding said “SLPP will not hand over power to mad men.”
This statement means that APC politicians are “mad men” who state power should not be entrusted with compounded with the allegations of “Munku politicians” a claim made by APC’s erstwhile Chairman and leader, Ernest Bai Koroma who currently lives in exile.
During campaigns, the statement accusing APC of going berserk was widespread and it came from the SLPP leader that “APC politicians cannot put up with hard times.”
With all these insulting and provocative statements, the leadership of the party as well as the PR team decided to keep mute and bury their heads in the sand pretending that all is well when all is not well. Their quietness is just the same as accepting all allegations of violence and dishonesty.
The general argument holds that if a party is violent now what about the time of active politicking when an election date has been slated and there are meetings, conferences and rallies all over the country.
It will be bad for the provinces where the populace is largely gullible and their lives conditioned by social media postings and messages.
This negative public perception is one of the biggest headaches for the party at the moment, and if the trend continues, the ruling party may capitalize on the political situation and present the APC as one not yet ready to take part in the elections. Suffice it to mention that APC’s unpreparedness will turn out beneficial for the SLPP.
It is all but danger if members of the international community nods in agreement with the ruling party and decides to cut off ties with the opposition.
In such a situation, the SLPP would make history as the first political party to go unopposed in an election lending credence to predictions of SLPP stalwarts that APC will permanently remain in opposition.
During an SLPP meeting in the United States, a key SLPP politician said the conflicts in the APC was just the tip of the iceberg as the party would never act together even in the approach of the next elections. The statements came at a time the APC members were at conflict with themselves and most times going to courts to seek redress owing to claims and counter-claims.
A conflict which seems deeper than the previous conflicts has reared its head between two groups: the 2023 and the 2028 factions within the party with the former standing with the controversial flag-bearer and leader, Dr Samura Kamara while the latter says the country should move on and do away with Kamara.
The disagreement between the two camps is derailing APC’s progress in the forward march towards 2028 elections as quarrels and fist-throwing are imminent in every APC gathering which means, there is heavy work for the party’s PR team.