From the courtroom to mainstream politics, it is evident that Sierra Leone has been blessed with a new face emerging into our body politics. It’s a meet with the Odugu!! For the first time since taking up the mantle of the All People’s Congress (APC) party leadership, Alfred Peter Conteh: APC’s revered Chairman stormed East of Freetown where he graced an august gathering of the party’s grassroots-based supporters. It was a stampede, as grassroots supporters mish-mashing their way into the hall, old women spreading along the way their rappers (lappas) on the ground, young men beating the drums to a shaken wall, while the “Matormas” secured the way with spiritual incantations, the Odugu was welcomed with the traditional songs of a red carpet.
The storms of a hopeful 2023 can be seen clearly from the scenes of Wellington. Even those who have been claiming to have the grassroots support were left with mouths wondering the question, is this real? A new face has emerged, and the body polity of the APC has been revitalized to engage more in peaceful dialogue with government institutions as a responsible opposition than I don’t care attitude of the former days. During September 18th, 2022 meeting, the message to the APC grassroots was simple and clear. “The fight to redeem the APC party is one that primarily focuses on creating a level playing field where in the best man wins through the people’s voice.
It is a Congress for the people, it is only one Congress we have, so let’s make the best out of it to ensure we retain the ideology and philosophies of this congress. We are the APC Party, not the some people’s congress, so let’s make our Congress attractive again to the common man.” Alfred Peter Conteh, Chairman of the APC party asserts.
What has become of today’s meeting from the scenes at Wellington, in the End part of Freetown, one would argue that the APC Party has found a leader in him. Many onlookers were anxiously asking: is Alfred Peter Conteh APC’s best to take on Maada Bio in 2023? The answer to this could be referenced to the scenes of what came out of Wellington Community Center. As a democratic peace-loving Sierra Leonean who has always prioritized the common man’s purpose in politics, the people are now left with no option but to join the hopeful train that will take them to Zion. The driver to a reformed APC is himself a reform-minded leader. This has made it merrier for all to be hopeful that a new dawn in the APC is achievable. The chanting from the crowds and the loyalty shown by supporters are all indications that the SLPP paopa government are hesitantly been shaken by these grisly events bringing much to the debate of his possible standout for the 2023 polls. Bringing power back to the people, he has assured his grassroots people in the East End part of Freetown during this all-talked-about meeting that the time to take APC back to power is already here, all the party needs now are for it supporters to register more and sing the victory songs in the ballot boxes. “There is no two way to it, our best bet to take back State House is through the democratic means of the ballot. We are a law-abiding party and so we must stick to those principles,” Conteh remarked. Warming up for his country-wide tour, the APC grassroots are now of the conviction that the man in Alfred Peter Conteh remains the few good people this country has been yearning for, and if we are to see the promised land, then, behold the time is here!!! The APC in APC is here to take us back to power.
