While Dr Samura Kamara and other APC big guns are battling with the ruling and recommendations of the Commissions of Inquiry set up by the Bio SLPP-led government that they have a case to answer relating to their stewardship during the 10-11-year rule of the Ernest Bai Koroma-led government, the APC party is being ripped apart with internal party squabbles for change of executive and constitution, and with fierce rivalry in the rank and file of the party for the flagbearer position towards the upcoming  2023 general and presidential elections.

Just two days ago, precisely on Monday 12^th July, another hearing of the appeal filed by Dr Samura Kamara was deferred to Monday 19^th July 2021 after several other deferments of the said matter.

As this appeal case continues to derail, it is essential – and more especially for Dr Kamara and the APC – to note that while this legal tussle could have been an open-and-shut matter, it is gradually being dragged and getting close to the period of active politicking and electioneering, at a time when people like Dr Samura Kamara and others would want to throw their hats into the political ring of serving as presidential aspirants for the APC. And they would still be faced with clearing the COI ruling of ill-gotten wealth slapped at them (for Samura, in relation to the Sierra Rutile Company deal) and the recommendations of the COI to confiscate their properties. There is also the latest court penalty of suspension from holding public office slammed on them if they lose the appeal. President Bio did give a 90-day grace period for persons of interest or defaulters to pay fines imposed on them by the COI ruling. But Dr Samura Kamara and some other members found wanting by the COI decided to challenge the ruling, thus filed appeal at the Court of Appeal, a matter which is still dragging in court.

Since Dr Samura Kamara and others have decided to appeal the decision and ruling of the commission, they would now have to clear their heads to emerge victorious in the matter before they would be allowed to vie for public office again in the country.

This is just one spoke that could be put in the wheels of Dr Samura Kamara and other APC heavyweights, which could adversely affect their political or presidential ambitions and destroy the chances of the party winning the 2023 presidential elections.

Other issues militating against the success and progress of the APC in the forthcoming presidential election are the bitter wrangling between the camps in the APC, such as the National Reformation Movement (NRM) the Big Six and the old hands in the party; as well as the fierce fight and character assassination of potential party flagbearers by members of the opposing camps within the party. This is too bad for a shadow government – a party that wants to win a national election and take the reins of power from an incumbent party that is looking for the slightest chance to destabilise the opponents.

No matter how bad your house is, you shouldn’t use your left hand to paint it, they say. This tendency of character assassination and nagging situation would leave the APC and its big guns with no leg to stand on as related to defending themselves against corruption charges and winning the next presidential election.

Even though some party members like the APC National Youth League Secretary General, Alie Conteh are saying the APC is a family and once election time approaches, the squabbles and internal wrangling within the party would be water under the bridge, all we are seeing for now is that things are at sixes and sevens within the party; the situation is in a rather confused and badly organised state, something that suggests what might happen during the period of electioneering.

The APC must therefore close ranks and face the battle ahead of them. A house that is divided against itself can never see success or win a battle; it would always be at the mercy of others; at best it would crash and burn.

Consider for once what has been happening to members and supporters of the party and its MPs in the hands of their opponents over the last three years: the intimidation, molestation, harassment, beatings, arbitrary arrests and detentions of its stakeholders and people.

The recent arrest and continued detention of one of its MPs, Honourable. Emmanuel Saidu Conteh is a case in point.  What if Hon. Emmanuel Saidu Conteh with his co-accused turns out to be a fall guy and is found to be innocent? Would the molestation meted out to him be recompensed?

The APC should have known by now that all the cards on the table of politics in this country have been stacked against them by the powers that be. So, they better know what they do.

Forum newspaper may be saying things that are close to the bone, but the truth is what will set us free. For the APC, a stitch in time saves nine.

We rest our case for now.