If all things remain equal, the economist says in Latin Ceteris Paribus, President Julius Maada Bio is ready to make history as the first democratic head of State to rule Sierra Leone for only one term.
The phraseology, One-Term-President (OTP), has gained popularity with the men in the street bearing strong conviction that President Bio’ s mandate ends in the ballot box in 2023 and will not come back for another term.
President Bio seems to be taking the OTP concept with a pinch of salt for failing to make hay while the sun shines.
Many Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) stalwarts have accused President Bio for failing to take actions that he must have taken to create a turn around.
A top SLPP politician who spoke on condition of anonymity also made similar allegation, but failed to point out some of the actions the President must embark on at this particular moment if he is to darken the walls of State House for another term.
However, some quarters are convinced that the President is working hard to ensure that he retains power for the second term in the 2023 polls.
They are of the view that some radical actions President Bio has taken quite recently is the appointment of Director of Financial Intelligence Unit, Mohamed Konneh as Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC).
The move is widely seen radical owing to perceived non-consultation with leaders of the country’s registered political parties.
As the CEC designate is yet to appear before parliament for approval, fears of a backlash is rife as opposition parliamentarians are determined to subject the CEC designate to thorough scrutiny to ascertain his competence and credibility to handle the 2023 elections.
If Konneh fails to make it in the parliamentary interview, the Presidential appointment will have to be reversed, and a new person sought.
Moreover, bringing in Ambrose Sovula as the country’s Inspector-General, to many, is a tactical step by President Bio to ensure that SLPP remains in office for the next term.
Some sections of the public have come to see the Police boss as a yes-man willing to do the bidding at any time the opportunity arises.
IG Sovula formerly in charge of North-east region as Assistant Inspector-general (AIG) was said to have withdrawn security details from former President Koroma and replaced them with new ones in obedience to a government order.
It was also reported that the former AIG, with the Director of Crime Services championed the unsuccessful arrest of former President Koroma on trumped-up allegations.
This two yes-man moves by the former AIG have compelled the public to run into conclusion that IG Sovula may not hesitate to dance to tune of the piper when the tune is dictated.
The two moves are further bolstered by the registration to be conducted by National Civil Registration Authority (NaCRA).
The NaCRA registration has been become an object of intense public suspicion. The public is of the firm conviction that the registration would not be free from government manipulation.
These political manoeuvrings from the ‘New Direction’ Government is a complete manifestation that the OTP philosophy has proved to be a constant source of worry for them.
By all indications, the Bio government is poised to trample OTP in the dust of history to prevent the main opposition, All People’s congress from plunging the ‘New Direction’ into political wilderness in the not-too-distant future.
Signs in the country’s body politic resonate with the common sense OPT philosophy of the plebeians instead of calling them the masses.
Acceding the Presidential throne in 2018, President Julius Maada Bio made beautiful promises enveloped in the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Manifesto, 2018.
Ensuring Free Quality Education (FQE), revamping the economy, improving delivery of essential services, enhancing agriculture, reducing poverty, tackling corruption and lawlessness were part of the promises President Maada Bio made to the people of Sierra Leone.
He placed emphasis on the FQE as the ‘New Direction’s flagship project in his maiden address in parliament.
FQE was treated with the urgency it deserves as President Bio proclaimed that no pupil pays school fee in any government school in the country.
The President’s proclamation came to pass as the country is today witnessing an unparalleled success story of free schooling in a country where payment of fees was a life-and-death struggle for the have-nots.
However, visible governance indicators show that the ‘New Direction’ Government is falling below public expectations.
Miserable failure is seen in the spiralling lawlessness, endemic poverty evidenced by a ceaselessly soaring inflation, a sharp deterioration in livelihoods, and widespread corruption despite frantic effort made by the country’s anti-graft agency.
On the other side of the pendulum, the main opposition is tirelessly working from behind-the-scene to diffuse the plans of the ‘New Direction.’
Behind-the-scene work is crystallised in the steady disintegration of the National Reformation Movement (NRM), a body viewed as an impediment to APC victory in 2023.
The NRM, an offshoot of APC has been battling with its parent body in court over issues regarding the party’s constitution.
However, events unfolding in the NRM show that the Movement is a transient one.
It is slowly crumbling from within every passing day owing to what many say a reconciliatory move that is underway. The party’s highest decision making body, the National Advisory Committee has started to open doors for NRM members so that the case against the party could be withdrawn from the court.
In another scenario, The APC is witnessing the emergence of TAGMEN, a formidable group poised to bring back the APC to power through strong persuasion of their colleagues inside and outside the APC.
The TAGMEN force is reckonable. It is gaining grounds within the APC fold as it is luring more members from various parts of the country.
The APC has also succeeded in its distraction of the ‘New Direction’ to focus on real issues of governance especially the provision of essential services to the people of Sierra Leone.
Little wonder that the ‘New Direction’ Government are constantly at each other’s throat manifested in scuffles and hulabaloos in various parts of the country.
Any occurrence of political scuffles anywhere, anytime in any part of the country, the main opposition will not hesitate to invite the attention of the diplomatic community and portray government as the perpetrator.
Consequently, the ‘New Direction’ Government and the diplomatic community seem to have been at arm’s length.
To sum it all, if APC succeeds in its distraction, and President Bio fails to diffuse opposition propaganda, he scores an own goal and make history as the first democratic President to rule for one term in post-conflict Sierra Leone.