As the main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) seems not better prepared for the 2028 elections by way of a big split, it is easy for Sierra Leone to relapse into a one-party state.
In 2028, the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) SLPP would go unopposed in the absence of APC who is sharply divided on two major factions: Those standing with Samura Kamara for the June, 2023 elections and those walking towards 2028.
The grassroot are not convinced that their leader, Samura Kamara lost the June polls as announced by ECSL (Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), the body responsible for conducting elections in Sierra Leone.
They have been crying foul about the June polls calling on ECSL officials to release the election results by polling stations and districts. Their leader, Samura Kamara also has been making the same appeal for the publication of what he called “the correct results.”
From close observation, those standing with the beleaguered flag-bearer and leader, Samura Kamara consisting mainly of the grassroot seems to be in the majority while the big wigs go in for 2028 and forget about 2023 polls which many say it is a done deal.
Such appeal is one that is not shared by the party’s decision makers who want the masses to forget about 2023 elections and look forward to the future with hope.
But, the grassroots are not convinced that their leaders would protect their votes in the 2028 polls despite good promises made to them, and such situation, it is clear that the party’s executive cannot see eye-to-eye with their political leaders in the party and such disagreement will hunt the party in the not-too-distant future.
The fear of the grassroots as expressed by those who spoke to Nightwatch stemmed from the hardline position taken by officials of the ruling SLPP especially the erstwhile Chairman, Dr. Prince Harding who said SLPP would not hand over power to “mad men.”
This means that even if SLPP lose the elections or not, they will still retain power under the ‘PAOPA’ style.
This situation is also aggravated by somewhat sleek-headed SLPP supporters who said what happened in 2023 is just the “smoke” as APC would see “fire” in 2028, and such would signify a fast movement from ‘PAOPA’ to ‘GBAGBATI.’
The fear among the grassroots is very reasonable since the memories of the June polls is still fresh in their minds; such memories hardly go away if other threats are repeated and that, what is more dangerous would happen in 2028.
Political analysts have argued insistently that African politics has a different game arguing that it is extremely difficult for opposition candidates to win elections in Africa especially where incumbents refuse to go after losing elections.
Such game is not peculiar to a particular country in Africa but cuts across nations, and it is becoming a norm in Africa.
It is seen in our neighbor- Guinea where ex-President Alpha Conde ran for a third term after exhausting his mandatory two consecutive terms in power.
It is clear that his style of politics paves the way for the coming of Colonel Mamady Doumbouya who has ruled for almost three years and later contested and won the election.
He is currently a civilian leader for the Republic of Guinea with no one knowing what would come next.
Similar political game is also played in Cote D’voire where President Alhassan Ouattara is rounding up his fourth term in the country despite calls for him to step as contemporary democracy calls for two terms.
Cameroon’s President, Paul Biya’s style of politics also appears similar to those other leaders on the continent. What about Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda who has shown no sign of stepping down after many years in power with his brutal oppression of the opposition leader, Kisa Bessige.
Back to Sierra Leone, a country where the ruling party is tightening its grip on power but somewhat democratically.
SLPP is capitalizing on APC’s disunity to win the 2028 elections which would see the ruling party going again for a third term.
As the cloud gathers, APC politicians are nowhere to be seen while the ruling party is putting their house in order to come down hard in 2028. The continuous feet dragging by APC politicians is lending some truth about allegations made against them of connivance with the ruling party to wreck their own party for favour and fear.
The country’s current political situation seems to be lending some truth of a prediction made by Sierra Leone’s First Lady few years back when she said “APC will split more and more and SLPP will go unopposed in the next elections.”
In spite of threats laden with the country’s politics, APC’s executive officials seem complacent as they see the masses as nothing.
They pay little or no attention to the views of the majority that although the executive officials are the leaders of the party, grassroots support is crucial to the existence of APC in the country’s body politic since they are ones who contribute their money to the party’s coffers.
They are also the ones who venture in the rain and under the sun during rallies and campaigns to add to the aura and euphoria of politics.
It is also safe to say that power belongs to them since they are the ones who politicians will meet to explain and sell their ideologies so that they can garner their support and political participation, and without them, there is no smooth politics.
Investigation conducted by this press has shown that the people will show voter apathy as it has never been before in Sierra Leone, and the writings appear to be clear on the wall.
The people would readily listen to the voices of those who present themselves as fighters of the people’s votes than to those who are canvassing them to go in for 2028.