By Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara (JFK)
At the SLPP National Delegates Conference, President Julius Maada Bio made a statement that should alarm every defender of democracy: “No party has won elections in Sierra Leone three times in a row. We are going to do it.”
This was no mere rallying cry. Coupled with his chilling admonition to potential successors, “I haven’t handed you the baton yet, and you’re already running. Where do you think you’re going ?” These words may reveal a far darker ambition: probably a calculated move to cling to power beyond constitutional limits, whether directly or by proxy.
Let us dispense with euphemisms. This is not party discipline; it appears as a thinly veiled third-term agenda. And if that is so, it must be confronted now before it crystallizes into reality.
Our Constitution Is Not a Negotiable Document
Democracy is not a game of musical chairs where the music never stops for the incumbent. Democratic power is not inherited, bartered, or seized through legal subterfuge. It is entrusted by the people, for the people. The moment any leader toys with the idea of overstaying their mandate, they betray the very foundation of our nation.
There will be no third term.
Not by law. Not by force. Not by coercion.
History’s Lesson: The People Always Win
Sierra Leoneans have fought this battle before. In 1996, amid the shadows of authoritarian rule, the people’s defiance was louder than the roar of gunfire. Their resistance, stubborn as a donkey refusing to budge, secured a democratic triumph. That same spirit lives today.
The 2023 elections were a stark reminder of what happens when vigilance wanes. We will not repeat that mistake. Come 2028, no amount of suppression, intimidation, or orchestrated political theater will silence the will of the people.
The APC Stands Ready—And So Must You
The All People’s Congress, alongside every citizen who cherishes democracy, is prepared not just to campaign but to defend the sanctity of our republic. We will expose every backdoor maneuver, every legal sleight of hand, and every attempt to subvert the people’s voice.
Sierra Leone belongs to its people, not to one party. And in 2028, the people will speak again. Loudly. Decisively. Unmistakably.
The people need no reminder of this truth. After all, in 1996 they gave a dose of the people’s will to the ruling elites, when they clamoured for election before peace, as against the government’s red herring call, for peace before elections. The people won and will win again this time
The clock is ticking. Democracy will prevail.
