By Sayoh Kamara
By any measure, the reinstatement of former Vice President, Chief Alhaji Abubakar Sidiki Sam Sumana into the All People’s Congress (APC) is a significant political moment—not just for him personally, but for a party still searching for coherence, confidence, and direction after years in opposition. More telling than the reinstatement itself, however, are the peace overtures he has extended to fellow APC flagbearer aspirants and the deliberate unity narrative now associated with his political re-entry.
In Sierra Leonean politics, returns are often framed in triumphalist or vindictive terms. This time, the messaging is notably different. Sam Sumana’s posture, as articulated by the “Sam 28” Movement, places party unity above personal grievance and reconciliation above rivalry. Whether one views this as statesmanship or strategy, it speaks directly to the APC’s most persistent internal weakness: fragmentation after internal contests.
The APC’s recent history offers sobering lessons. Flagbearer races have too often produced factions rather than solidarity, leaving the party internally bruised and externally vulnerable. Against this backdrop, Sam Sumana’s early outreach to rival aspirants is more than symbolic courtesy; it is a calculated signal that leadership in today’s APC must be measured by its capacity to unify, not merely to win.
Equally important is the narrative reframing taking place. The “Sam 28” movement is presented not as a personality cult, but as a philosophy rooted in inclusiveness, service, and shared responsibility. This is a conscious attempt to shift focus away from the controversies that once surrounded Sam Sumana’s vice presidency and toward a future-facing image aligned with the APC’s founding ideals. In a party where historical loyalty and collective identity matter deeply, this alignment is politically astute.
Yet the unity message extends beyond internal party mechanics. By linking APC inclusiveness to national development, democratic stability, and social harmony, the narrative elevates internal reconciliation into a question of national credibility. The implication is clear: a party that cannot manage its internal diversity cannot convincingly claim readiness to govern a diverse nation. In this sense, Sam Sumana’s appeal is as much a challenge to the APC as it is an offer of leadership.
What is perhaps most striking is what the narrative omits. There is little reference to the circumstances of Sam Sumana’s removal from office or the bitterness that followed his estrangement from the party. This silence is not accidental. It reflects a political calculation that reopening old wounds may satisfy emotion but undermine momentum. The focus instead is on forward motion—though this places a burden on the party to ensure reconciliation is genuine, not cosmetic.
Ultimately, Sam Sumana’s return and his peace overtures represent a test of the APC’s political maturity. If embraced in good faith, they could mark a turning point toward a more cohesive, inclusive, and disciplined party—one better positioned to offer a credible alternative to the ruling establishment. If resisted, they risk becoming yet another well-crafted unity appeal drowned out by entrenched factional interests.
This moment, therefore, is not only about Sam Sumana’s political rehabilitation. It is about whether the APC can rise above its internal contradictions and transform unity from a campaign slogan into a governing principle. The answer to that question may well determine not just the party’s electoral fortunes, but its relevance in shaping Sierra Leone’s democratic future.
