Hit by news of ex-President Koroma’s departure from the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC), a worried Sierra Leone People’s Party seems ready to go ahead with corruption trials against the former President.
It still remains unclear why SLPP becomes nervous and panic-stricken about Koroma’s intention to step down from a party he has led for over 20 years.
Experienced politicians within the APC intimated this press that SLPP was highly comfortable with the former President as APC chairman and leader owing to his calm and composure. It is no gainsaying that President Koroma is full of the milk of human kindness, and no doubt, SLPP are satisfied with him.
He does not return fire for fire to SLPP’s threats and brutality as he believes that peace must be allowed to reign in Sierra Leone, a country that has tasted the brutality of an 11-year civil war.
When Koroma’s ministers were arrested and detained on false claims and frivolous charges, the former President maintained his peace. When Koroma was humiliated and provoked at Lungi International airport when returning home from one his overseas trips, he also remained unruffled.
When a roadblock was mounted at the frontage of his residence in the north-eastern capital of Makeni, the former President held his peace. When his fellow compatriots in his hometown were massacred by police and military officers over the relocation of an electricity generator, Koroma also put up composure.
These attributes are rare in an influential African politician making SLPP not wanting the former President to go. SLPPP would also remember the former President in the peaceful manner in which he convinced APC to comport themselves when controversies on the appointment of the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh arose months ago.
APC members were highly opposed to Konneh’s surreptitious appointment by President Julius Maada Bio to oversee the National Electoral Commission, a body responsible to conduct and supervise elections in Sierra Leone.
When former President Koroma spoke, everyone took his rightful position, and Konneh became safe in his seat. Observers in the media and the public have described SLPP’s stance on Koroma’s proposed departure as one of the greatest hypocrisies of the time. SLPP politicians have been calling on the ex-President to take his hands off party politics if he should be treated as a statesman.
In most of his speeches, President Julius Maada Bio has been urging the ex-President Koroma not to have anything to do with the politics of the land. He cited late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba as an example of those leaders who played statesmanship role after his tenure, and thus enjoyed the respect and privileges of a former President.
While In Kambia few days ago, President Bio warned the former President to comport himself as a statesman or else stop to respect him. Bio’s statement has been re-echoed on several occasions by his followers in the PAOPA movement.
They have always perceived the former President as a big threat to SLPP whose success in next year’s elections remains a problem once the former President continues to stay in the party.
But, others hold contrary views fearing an APC radical stance if the former President leaves the scene. An APC member of parliament (name withheld) has told youth at an ‘AATAYA’ base in Freetown that the politics of S.I. Koroma would be adopted once the former President leaves the stage.
The MP said they had put up too much with the ruling party, and time is up for resistance. The youth would readily accept such messages as they complain times are just too tough for survival. The former President’s depature is highly expected as he prepares to take up office at the sub regional bloc, ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States) replacing the former Nigerian President, General Olusegun Obassanjo.
As the President prepares to take the back seat, head scratching wonders and ponders continue asking why SLPP should be worried and jittery about Koroma’s stepping down from APC. No answers could be provided as SLPP would continue to hunt the former President.
Sources have intimated this press that corruption trials against Koroma would be conducted to their logical conclusion with no one knowing SLPP’s main concern about Koroma’s intended departure.
It is also clear that the former President’s close aides, Dr Sylvia Blyden and Alpha Khan may be used to testify against him. Khan was adviser while Blyden was special executive assistant to the former President. The two were also cabinet ministers: Alpha Khan was minister of Mines and Mineral Resources and later Minister of Information and Communication, and Blyden was Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs.
With such intimacy between former President Koroma and his two ministers, government expects to adduce sufficient evidence against the former President. Koroma battles with a corruption allegation which was a subject for investigation at the defunct commissions of inquiry and later at the Appeals Court. The question whether a former President should be held accountable for past wrongs he committed while serving as President has been referred to the Supreme Court for determination.
The court is yet to provide answer to the legal question. But, the people are waiting patiently to see what will be the outcome. SLPP’s uneasiness over an APC affair surprises many Sierra Leoneans.
The ruling party has been calling on the former President to step down so that he could get the privileges and respect of a statesman. Now that Koroma has honoured their call, it is expected that the respect they promised him would be offered, but signs are quite clear that the reverse occurs. Koroma announced his decision to step down last Wednesday thus to rest speculations that the former President is in no mood to end his 22-year tenure.
Koroma who bode farewell to senior members of the party said “it is now time for other great comrades to take the great APC forward.” The former President also strongly believes that the experienced comrades could ably prepare the party for a convention. “Being a great institution, APC is capable of a smooth and successful transition,” Koroma claimed.
He called on APC members to hold themselves in unity for a victory in next year’s elections. He also urged his comrades to prepare for a new leadership including the chairmanship adding that the party should work closely with the Political Parties Registration Commission, the judiciary and other actors to ensure that a the transition process is smooth, and that a new executive takes over.
He also refuted claims that he would contest for other positions in the party saying he has been privileged to serve the country for two terms uninterrupted. Koroma never fell in for the lure and trappings of power even when some members of the APC urged him not to go.
The party members, few days ago, reawakened the campaign for the Chairman and Leader to seek re-election in the coming national delegates conference.
However, Koroma’s stepping down from the party does not mean he has gone completely. At an APC meeting a week ago, ex-President Koroma promised to campaign for APC in next year’s election although he did not go in details how his campaign would look like. The former President however maintained that he would be the next US President, Barrack Obama who campaigned for President Joe Biden, former Vice President to Obama.
SLPP is also fearful of the campaign promise made by President Koroma who is set to take an influential post in the AU/ ECOWAS organisations. The former President has served as lead observer during elections in six African countries with Zambia being the most recent.
In Zambia, the incumbent, Edgar Lungu who has served for only a term was not willing to hand over power after he lost the elections. The lead observer, Ernest Koroma reportedly admonished the defeated President to leave the political stage in the country’s interest. He similarly advised the new President, Hakainde Hichilema not look back if peace is to reign.