By Ahmid Sesay, Social Commentator, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
At a press conference held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown on the 14th June 2023 barely 10 days to the country’s Presidential and General Elections, the main opposition leader in a defeatist mood has demanded that the country’s independent electoral commissioners resign their positions and be replaced by international electoral officers to conduct the country’s elections. After almost 2hrs of the delivery of his statement, this demand forms the climax of the almost 80yr old infirm opposition leader who was beaten twice by the incumbent presidential candidate, Julius Maada Bio back in 2018 after he was handpicked by his political godfather, former President Koroma. Again he has found crooked means through a grand electoral malpractice at his party’s lower level elections/primaries to come and be beaten at the polls for the third time on the 24th of June, 2023.
The frail-looking opposition old man backed his demands with a threat of violence/civil disobedience in 72hrs if his outrageous demands were not met. Many of his demands are noted to have been either addressed by the electoral body or are not even supported by the electoral laws of the land. He takes comfort in either press statements by the ECSL or by the Commission’s electoral timetable published sometime ago. Many observers wonder if he actually listens to his lawyers or whether in fact he has sound lawyers around him in the first place otherwise he, together with his lawyers, would have known that there are no provisions in the country’s electoral laws supporting such a demand which amounts to mortgaging the Sovereignty of the country.
How can Samura ask that international electoral officers take over the country’s electoral commission and conduct our own elections? What effrontery and low-mindedness!
What is however clear from that press conference is that Samura Kamara and his APC Party have been the cause and sponsors of violence in the country. Just as in the past, they have again given an ultimatum of 72hrs or they take to the streets to cause havoc, loot and kill. Over to the security sector to protect peaceful and law abiding citizens and their property from APC thugs and terrorists!
It is now as clear as daylight that Samura Kamara and his APC outfit have seen an embarrassing defeat at the polls so they are afraid to contest. Instead of they withdraw quietly from the elections they want to first put innocent civilians to the streets to die and use it as an excuse.
We are happy that the Government has vowed that there will be no postponement of these elections, no matter the threats of a failed opposition party and its leader who has been in the helm of affairs in financial sector of the State for about 40yrs; all what he left as a ‘legacy’ is AUSTERITY! Even in his village, Kamalo, northern Sierra Leone, there’s nothing tangible he can point at for all those 40yrs of public service let alone to talk about the country in general. This is the man who wants to become a President!
Anyways, democracy ‘na something else’.
To the APC supporters who want to go out and die for Samura, think twice if you have a child, if you have parents, relatives or anything you hold dear. But think first, of your own life and advise yourself accordingly.
#June242023ElectionsNoPostponement
God bless the Republic of Sierra Leone.
