‘Tok En Do’ is SLPP ( Sierra Leone People’s Party)’s slogan since 2018. It is a Krio phrase that means ‘Talk and Do’ meaning they are ready to implement whatever they say either negative or positive.
But, most times, they are bent on doing the negatives which to their party are positives. In a rather comic way, SLPP politicians, ahead June-24 general elections, used to say they “we will not hand over power to the opposition, All People’s Congress (APC),” and now they have succeeded.
President Julius Maada Bio still holds the forte even when it is clear that he should go. International and local election observation missions condemned the election as one that “lacked transparency.”
Bio however has turned down calls to step aside or hold a re-run knowing that any of this moves will cost him the presidency. Bio however seemingly or partially accept to have the alleged election irregularities investigated , but frowns at outside investigators. He recently chose his Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh to head the proposed election investigation committee, a move shunned by the international community. US Ambassador, David Reimer is particularly concerned over the investigation but completely rules out any attempt to have the Vice President as the lead the lead investigator.
“I have great respect for the Vice President; I respect his integrity, but he is not fit to investigate the election irregularities since he is a candidate in the past elections,” Ambassador Reimer condemns government’s move.
Without accepting a credible, outside team of investigators is the same as saying there will be no investigation at all. Signs that Bio will not hold fair and credible elections started crystalising in the early days of his administration.
By his government’s tactics of killing , terrorising and intimidating, he was sending a loud and clear message to Sierra Leoneans that he would not relinquish power regardless of any threat or danger that confronts him.
To realise his political objective, Bio quickly converted the army, the Police and the courts into instruments of terror, oppression and intimidation against opposition politicians and their supporters. Hardly a month passes by without reports of killings, or arrest and incarceration of APC politicians and supporters who are deemed hurdles lying on the way to Bio’s second term.
The number of people butchered in Makeni, Lunsar, Tonkolili, Tombo, Freetown and Pa Demba Road Correctional Centre in the North-West regions is difficult to quantify except an independent investigation team comes in. These killings share, in common, two features: political and state-sponsored.
This new form of government brutality occur only in opposition strongholds with no one brought to justice. Government does not stop at killings and terror. The forceful and unlawful removal of 10 APC parliamentarians as well as frequent beatings and imprisonment were visible signs that Bio will not give up power even if he lost the elections as coming events cast their shadows.
As if that is not enough, senior officials of the past government including former President Ernest Bai Koroma were targetted for incarceration. Three times, the former President was invited by Anti-Corruption Commission for offences ranging from graft to money laundering.
He became a free man only because his hand was not caught on the loot as he ploughed but never plundered.
As ex-President Koroma was let off the hook, Bio turned to former ministers for arrest and detention based on false claims.
Former Defence Minister, Alfred Paolo Conteh, Political and Public Affairs Minister, Karmoh Kabba, Public Works Minister, Kemo Sesay, Social Welfare Minister, Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, Mayor Herbert George Williams and others were arrested and held in prison for months if not years.
Most of those arrested were, most times, released without charges. Conteh who was held for treason was cleared of the offence as the jurors handed down a “not guilty” verdict; He was let go, but with empty hands. He got no compensation for the lengthy period he was falsely held in custody.
Former Vice President, Victor Bockarie Foh, Mines Minister, Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray and former Secretary to Vice President, Sheka Kamara were in court battling with corruption cases. Foh and Mansaray walked free while Kamara was jailed. In what appeared an exchange with freedom for political support, the former APC Vice President switched over to SLPP with his derogatory remarks against his former party just to keep his head above waters.
Like Foh, Kanu also sought refuge in the SLPP singing nice songs for President Bio on campaign tours. Even APC presidential candidate, Dr Samura Kamara was hunted and slammed with corruption charges, and the case is still pending.
Kamara would have no future in politics if he is convicted.
Former Local Government Minister, Finda Diana Konomani too was threatened with an arrest when she requested her people not to submit to the “illegal” Mid-Term Census of 2021.
Active APC politicians who did not hold senior posts in governance were also hounded. Former Public Relations Officer, APC Western Area, Abu Bakarr Daramy and popular politicians, Alie Commoner, Med Kay and others were arrested and detained.
Bio’s political bulldozing never came in a day; it was the process of long-term planning and strategy which began within SLPP itself.
In 2912, Bio was made SLPP’s presidential candidate at a time late Vice President, Solomon Ekuma Berewa and other old folks were leaving the party after years of politiking. Bio was nicknamed ‘The Tormentor’ creating tough time for the former President, but Koroma ignored him.
Berewa left after losing 2007 elections to former President Koroma, and his move was in line with SLPP’s old constitution which said a presidential candidate became ex-officio if he contested and lost.
The ex-officio clause means the losing candidate can no longer play an active role in the in the party.
By the provision, Bio was supposed to go ex-officio, but he discarded it and forced his way under ‘PAOPA’ movement.
By its nature, PAOPA ideology is the forceful style of seeking and exercising power with the party and state structures.
In league with few old politicians, SLPP grassroot were mobilised and transformed into vicious thugs to unleash harm to Bio’s opponents. Such brutal move is reminiscent of 1970 and 1980 politics when the youth were used thugs for ephemeral intervention in politics. Even then flag-bearer aspirant, Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella was not spared when he fell victim by standing Bio’s way.
Under PAOPA, Bio was bold enough to block a presidential motorcade for several minutes. Under PAOPA, Bio threatened to overthrow APC if the party behaved the same way it did in the past. Under PAOPA, Bio blocked a court entrance leaving the public in awe and dismay.
Under PAOPA, former SLPP Chairman, Chief Somano Kapen was tortured before driven out of the party in a delegates conference in Kenema, eastern Sierra Leone. These illegal actions turned Bio overnight a hero among SLPP politicians who wasted no time in illegally electing him for 2018 elections.
He won the elections but with little success, and most of his political kinsmen knew that he had badly messed up.
But, Bio seeing the writing clearly on the wall designed a ploy to have him re-elected flag-bearer in a delegates conference held in Bo city, Southern Sierra Leone in December, 2021.
Bio was illegally nominated for the third time by a man on whom a murder case was hanging. Most SLPP members were annoyed by Bio’s re-election, but could not voice their frustration as Bio had the cache.
Once re-elected flag-bearer for 2023, Bio’s victory was assured as he rode roughshod on opposition politicians. Clear evidence has shown that he is not the winner of June 24, 2023 elections, but forced his way through under ‘Gbagbati.’
He refused to leave the political stage when time is up with complete cluelessness of the notion that the art of being a good guest is knowing to leave. He was successful under PAOPA, will he succeed again under ‘Gbagbati.’