By Hassan Osman Kargbo
One of the leading flag bearer aspirants of the All People’s Congress APC, Dr Ibrahim Bangura, has called on party members, supporters, and sympathizers to embrace unity, discipline, and mutual respect as the party prepares for the future.
In a recent press release aimed at calming rising tensions among contenders and their supporters, Dr Bangura reminded APC faithful that internal disagreements must not undermine the party’s collective strength. He emphasized that despite differences in opinions and preferred candidates, members must remember they belong to one political family with a shared history and destiny.
“We are one APC family. We may support different people. We may argue different ideas. But we must never forget that we share one symbol, one history, and one destiny,” Dr Bangura stated. He urged supporters to debate issues with love rather than anger and to disagree with respect instead of hostility, noting that aspirants are competitors within the same family, not enemies.
Dr Bangura explained that his message was necessary due to increasing exchanges of harsh words and actions that threaten the peace, progress, and unity of the APC. He warned that such conduct only weakens the party and distracts it from its broader mission.
He stressed that internal attacks do not harm political opponents outside the party but instead damage the APC itself. “Burning bridges today weakens us tomorrow. When we insult, attack, or undermine one another, we do not defeat our opponents outside the party, we defeat ourselves,” he said. According to him, unity has always been the foundation of the APC’s strength and remains essential to its success in Sierra Leone’s political landscape.
The APC aspirant further described the task of returning the party to power as a responsibility that goes beyond individual ambitions. He noted that the party’s ultimate goal is to regain leadership and continue contributing to the progressive development of the nation. This mission, he said, is bigger than any single individual, position, or election cycle.
Dr Bangura cautioned that losing unity would lead to loss of focus and eventually erode public trust. He therefore appealed to supporters across all demographics, including youths, elders, men, women, and those in the diaspora, to conduct themselves with maturity and discipline. He encouraged members to listen to one another, respect internal processes, and safeguard the image and integrity of the party.
Outlining his personal leadership philosophy, Dr Bangura said he believes in engaging issues rather than attacking personalities and in building consensus instead of promoting conflict. He added that true leadership is demonstrated by how differences are managed, not by the volume of one’s voice.
He also linked party unity to national peace, reminding members that Sierra Leone is widely known for its peaceful coexistence and that political actors have a responsibility to preserve that reputation. According to him, the APC’s future depends on how well it manages the current moment of internal competition.
Dr Bangura concluded by urging members to move forward together with wisdom, patience, and love, stressing that the party must prove it is ready not only to win elections but also to govern responsibly. He ended his message with prayers for the APC, Sierra Leone, and continued peace and progress in the country.
