Sierra Leone Telegraph: 14 April 2022:
Young members of Sierra Leone’s main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Party are among the first to react to the announcement made yesterday by the party’s chairman and leader – former president Ernest Bai Koroma to step down from the leadership of the party.
Writing in a statement issued today by the APC National Young Congress (NYC) described as their “Initial reaction to the chairman and leader’s position to exit the political stage and his intention not to run for any position in the next delegate conference of the party,” this is what the group’s National Secretary General – Mr Alie Conteh said:
“The Leadership of the APC National Young Congress (NYC) ( Formerly National Youth League) has received and carefully studied the Press Release dated 13th April 2022 coming from the Office of the Former President / Chairman and Leader of the APC, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
“The Leadership of the National Young Congress (NYC), along with its membership, has noted and fully assimilated the position of the Chairman and Leader relating to his intention to exit the political stage, and his strong reassurances not to contest for any position in the next National Delegates’ Conference of the party.
“We further note the Former President’s commitment to peace, security, democracy and good governance which form essential features of his distinguished leadership throughout his tenure as Chairman and Leader of the APC and as President of Republic of Sierra Leone.
“We therefore hereby state that this decision has not come as a surprise as it has always indicated that his departure is imminent. As the Wing that hosts the present and future determination and sustainable growth of the party, we wish to endorse, support and congratulate the Former President for that brave decision.
“Whilst the entire nation received this message with sad and mixed feelings, we the young people of the APC , both in the country and in the Diaspora have received the decision as a comfort and extension of his long-standing passion for the growth of the young people and the APC.
“We are always inspired and would remain motivated by his remarkable legacies including the transfer of knowledge, wisdom and courage that assures our party and the country of a peaceful and safe transition.
“He has trained us well and prepared us for this moment. He carried us along during his distinguished leadership journey and has accompanied us through this transition process. We wish to assure him, the great supporters of our party and the general public, that there is nothing to worry about.
“President Koroma has done his part, the onus is now on us to take forward the outstanding legacy of peace, national unity, and nation building. We in the NYC are ‘Red and Ready’ to live up to this great task of bringing the APC back to power in June 2023.
“The young people of the APC will therefore forever remain grateful to President Koroma and outgoing Chairman and Leader of our party for his landmark stewardship of our glorious party and the country.
“We wish to assure him of our continued hard work and discipline he imbibed in us. We also wish to join the Former President in appealing to the entire membership of the party to embrace the potential of a new leadership and to engender a tranquil atmosphere for a peaceful and enduring transition.
“The Young people of the APC are committed to the jealous protection of your legacies, and the love for the young people which you have demonstrated always. Therefore, the young people of the party shall translate and explain this decision to our numerous members for a better appreciation of its import in ensuring an APC victory come 2023.
“We promise to continue to make you proud and wish you all the best and continued success in your already distinguished international calling.”
I believed we do have to many masters of language here in this noble forum, and whenever you speak, trust me guys already knew what you left out. The charismatic APC National young Congress, indeed it’s a beautiful name, I like it. They used the word” described their (initial reaction) to the life chairman position”, meaning, none of them believe if this would happen at this crucial moment.”. Also, the NYC carefully studied the press release dated, 13/04/2022, coming from the Pre. and life chairman of the APC party, meaning; no one believes his or her eyes, surprising… I swear to God brothers in this “NYC” I do respect you all but you know what.
I don’t think if there is any sad and mixed feelings as you mentioned in your powerful article, within the nation even within the APC party, do you?. as for me I am not. First of all why he allowed his supporters to took the a week ago in Makeni, chanting and demanding for his stay as life chairman forever?, think you that happened out of his notice? if yes then, why did he responded with a statement” ARHOLD WORD”?. Let me say this to you, the former stateman was trying to tests the lake, to know if the alligator still living in it, the answer is yes, indeed.
Now my next question for you guys is, will you nominate the real formidable candidate, at least has a likeability? will the APC go home take their times, sit down and search their souls and introduce the real candidate to face off with the Rtd. Breg. Dr. H.E. Bio comes 2023?. I knew it’s a $US million dollar question. First of all can someone urge EBK to come out and apologize to the nation at least once?. Anyway I rest my case. Congratulatory victory to President Bio….. I can understand that all APC men and women were fed-up with his life time chairmanship, but now is getting to fade by gradually process.
This is a positive tactical move by the Youths. But I’m afraid that there will be consequences in the near future, because based on the mentality of the lifetime leader, they are now trying to push him out or cross his path before his verbal statement. Unfortunately, some people believe that was the mistake late Moseray Fadika made, but fortunately, Dr. Alpha Kanu aka AK 11 and former APC Leader of parliament Honorable Bundu ( to name but few) are still alive tto tell their stories. In our country we have “Dem say” hearsay or “Na so ar say?”or Did you hear it from me?.
Recently, the lifetime leader intentionally ignored the injunction placed on his party by inviting members and supporters in Port Loko to spread propaganda against the New Direction government for less than 30 minutes , before he was reminded that he was disobeying court order. He even intentionally disobeyed the PPRC by attending the adoption process of the new constitution which was hosted at his colosseum that he built in Makeni rather than University. He made sure he threatened his party members as he did in 2018 against anyone who opposed his handpicked stooge Samura Kamara. But this time around, he called them “Munku” and declared himself as “Jihadist”.
My point is, if this “narcissistic dictator “ can make all these Utterances, why can’t he just verbally announce his retirement from his lifetime leader and chairman position?.
“You can fool some people sometimes, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”.
It is quite impressive how the young members of APC have been swift to bid farewell to their leader while heaping praise on him. Earnest Koroma should pause and ask himself two questions. Firstly, are the young people genuine? Secondly, is it a way of blocking the former president from changing his mind? Siaka Stevens used a similar, simulated tactic in the late 1970s to test his popularity by declaring his intention to step down and retire when he had no intention of doing so. Delegations after delegations were organised , under intimidation in some cases ,to storm State House urging Sheki not to go anywhere. If Earnest was thinking the same way, he awfully failed to realise that this is the age of cyberspace, a world away from the Sheki years. He has to go to give chance to younger members of the party to slug it out.
In retrospect, Earnest must be full of regrets – from not managing the economy well, to fostering corruption, to not leading but following, to being a poor communicator, to being at the centre for deadly violence in Makeni, to not adhering to the law vis -vis the Commission of Inquiry , to rehiring ministers that he had sacked, and many more.
Earnest may be worried about loneliness in the political wilderness; but he need not be, Bio will be joining him in about a year, and they can both discuss their loot from their years in office. While engaged in this past time Dr Yomkella will be doing his utmost to straighten and sortout their mess as President of of our dear country.
While former president Ernest Bai Koroma belongs to the class of highly corrupt African leaders, the fact remains, he has manage to maintain and extend his spear of influence across the continent, amassing a legion of millions of fans and supporters, both locally and at the international level. After the 2018 election, with the majority of Sierra Leoneans unsettle with the rampant corruption during his tenure, couple with his undemocratic actions of sacking vice president Sam Samuna, plus the handpicking of Dr. Samura Kamara as flagbearer for the APC party, the hatred for this former leader became a boiling point, share across by both supporters of the APC party and patriotic independent citizens.
However, just when you think the end is near for this once beloved towering leader, the incoming SLPP regime muddies the water with several undemocratic actions of their own. Besides the massive dismissal of tenure civil servants on the basis of tribe and party affiliations, the SLPP hijacked the speaker of parliament position, despite being the minority party in parliament. This was followed by colluding with the judiciary, removing 10 elected APC members of parliament, replaced by SLPP members of parliament.
With the barrage of relentless attack facing the APC as an outgoing party, the need for strong leadership to surmount the PAOPA regiment of the SLPP was dire as ever. To this, there was no one but Ernest Bai Koroma. Being the man that has led the party for over 2 decades, he alone was capable to steer the APC flocks back to still waters, in the midst of the storm. In essence, the PAOPA hatred for EBK, with a mindset of annihilate him and his party, has ironically capitulate him to new higher levels.