By Bobor Dan Kamara
The former presidential candidate of All People’s Congress Party (APC) Dr. Samura Kamara, in response to the directive from the APC’s National Secretary General (NSG) requesting him to step aside, has said that the move is a mere distraction from critical issues affecting the Party and the country at large.
In a letter dated November 5, 2024, the two-time presidential candidate revealed that he is disappointed that the APC’s National Secretary General’s correspondence focused only on logistics around vacating his office, with no attention given to “critical issues” he had raised in a previous letter dated October 28, 2024.
Dr. Kamara argued that the request trivialized more significant matters, including the Party’s disputed electoral defeat in the multi-tier June 24, 2023, elections and the fight for electoral justice. He further stated that to place “office space” issue above the fight for electoral justice and the anticipated implementation of the Agreement for National Unity seems rather baffling to him.
He added that there has been a central figure in contesting the APC’s 17.15% vote share as announced by the Election Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), which the Party disputes due to concerns about transparency and fairness.
While fighting for electoral justice, Dr. Kamara clarified that his mandate as the Party’s leader and candidate remains active until these grievances are addressed or until the APC holds its next National Delegates Conference.
He criticised the NSG’s portrayal of internal discussions about his role, accusing him of misrepresenting the outcome of recent party meetings. he asserted that his role as flagbearer is not solely defined by office space but by his commitment to APC supporters and the Party’s broader mission.
Amid this internal friction, Kamara reaffirmed his commitment to foster unity in APC and uphold its core values and mission. He further made a clarion call for party leaders to prioritize the “rights and will of the people” over “personal ego and sentiments.”
Alpha Kamara, a supporter of the Party, noted with dismay that the APC ought to have followed the dictates of the 2022 constitution which states that a presidential candidate who lost an election should relinquish his position six months after the Electoral Commissioner announced the election results. “APC got it wrong from there,” he added.
