By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The National Chairman and Leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC), Jesmed F. Suma, has reiterated that the NGC is no longer in any alliance with the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
Mr. Suma made this disclosure during an interview on Tuesday, 19th August 2025, when he emphasized that the conditions of the original agreement between the two parties were never respected by the Bio-led administration. According to him, the NGC was sidelined from governance after the SLPP’s electoral victory, leaving members disillusioned.
He noted that the situation worsened after Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, who architected the alliance, resigned from the NGC and formally joined the SLPP. His defection, Mr. Suma explained, was a betrayal that undermined the purpose of the alliance and stripped the NGC of any political benefit.
“From the beginning, the conditions and terms of the agreement were not respected. The government used Dr. Yumkella and a few others for political gain while neglecting our party,” Mr. Suma explained.
The dispute over the alliance has since escalated into a constitutional and legal battle within the NGC. According to a press release, an attempt was made in October 2024 by the party’s Secretary General, Amadu Sheriff, to suspend the Chairman after he publicly declared on AYV Television that the NGC had effectively withdrawn from the alliance. The motion, however, collapsed due to lack of quorum.
The party further alleged that Sheriff, backed by former allies of Dr. Yumkella, continued to interfere in NGC affairs and even disrupted constitutionally mandated meetings. In March 2024, Sheriff reportedly deployed armed police to prevent NEC officials from deliberating on the alliance issue.
Later in December 2024, Sheriff’s faction held what the party described as an “illegal mini-convention” despite a court injunction. The event resulted in the unlawful expulsion of Chairman Suma and other members.
The matter is currently before Justice Tonia Barnett, who has ruled that the case should proceed with substantive constitutional arguments. The NGC insists that the case is not just about leadership but a test of Sierra Leone’s constitutional order.
Mr. Suma stressed that he remains the legitimate Chairman of the party; and he called on members and the public to defend truth, justice, and democratic integrity.
