The All People’s Congress (APC) has, on February 20, 2023, duly elected its presidential candidate in a spectacularly well- organized National Delegates’ Conference (NDC), at the APC’s regional headquarters in Makeni. Not only was the three- day event peaceful, it also exhibited the APC as party that is ready to govern.
But the delay in the announcement of the running mate appears to have activated the rumour mill and causing considerable anxiety in many quartres. While such delay is uncharacteristic of recent APC modus operandi, it is actually constitutional.
The public will recall that at a special NDC, the APC adopted a new constitution. That constitution made a specific provision on the ‘Nomination Of The Vice Presidential Candidate.’ Article 57 of the 2022 APC Constitution stipulates that:
“The Presidential Candidate shall, upon consultation and approval of the National Advisory Committee, choose his running mate.”
This means that though Dr Samura Kamara was duly elected as the APC presidential candidate by a landslide, the prerogative to nominate his running mate could neither be automatic nor unilateral. The presidential candidate is obliged to consult with NAC to reach that decision.
There’s wisdom in such delay because this choice should not be driven by emotion without the benefit of foresight on the obvious implications relating to religion, electorate demographics, political experience, and saviness on the dynamics of governing Sierra Leone. This is critical to prevent voter apathy especially for the fact that the margin that usually separates the APC and the SLPP is narrow. Even more so, these elections are going to be a two-horse race between these to dominant parties.
In these remaining three months before the June 24 elections, every decision must well- thought -out. The nation anxiously awaits to see whether the APC presidential candidate -elect would spring a masterclass first important decision
