Comrades of the All Peoples Congress (APC) USA let me first of all express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the organizers and to all those who made it possible last Friday at our Embassy in Washington DC to counter the misguided SLPP elements.
The SLPP has lost focus and sense of direction especially the likes of their propaganda secretary and so-called Alpha Saidu Bangura who is getting bitter and frustrated every hour for reasons best known to him. To have joined Saidu Bangura to sing our national anthem would have been a psychological blow and a mockery on us.They had wanted to prove a point and take credit of the demonstration but it turned out to be the opposite. Their national Secretary-General, Banja Tejan-Sie told the world that they were going to demonstrate in Europe and America hijacking the people’s course. Nobody is against any demonstration but it’s the intention and resultant effect as seen in 1991 when their military brothers came from the jungle in the guise of a protest, toppled the APC and completely derailed the democratic process. This is the same intention they had in mind thinking history will repeat it self.
The SLPP is a party that do not believe in democratic principles or elections especially when the APC is in power and will always go the extra mile to frustrate the good efforts of our party and see it’s demise. In 1967 they lost the elections and there was a coup masterminded by them, in 1991 they used their brothers in the army to kick the party out of power. They also lost the 2007/12 elections and in 2015 in desperation for power calling for a mass demonstration against the APC though the matter between the former VP Samuel Sam Sumana and government is in court. They are crying more than those affected and no matter the situation even within the APC there are people who strongly believe the action against the VP Samuel Sam Sumana was unconstitutional and untimely but that should not warrant a Bokoraham wishful thinking and demonstration. He has his sympathizers and those who believe in him too with in the rank and file of the party.
We must allow the court to decide and should not discredit nor down play the power of the court though we are in the diaspora. In 2007 we saw and heard it all and I was in Freetown when the then SLPP government filed an injunction against NEC not to read the elections results which they suspected was in favor of the opposition APC. The no-nonsense Judge threw the matter out of court whilst officials of NEC were at the British Council that morning to announce the results. It was a surprise to the APC and a moment of shock and disappointment to the SLPP that as a ruling party the court ruled against them. Since then the SLPP is still faced with that Post Election Stress Disorder (PESD) and have refused to this day to accept the defeat in 2007 and 2012 respectively claiming they were robbed of victory.
It shall come to past and nothing last forever therefor we must be united and speak with one voice than ever before to fight the common enemy the SLPP. Following the reinstatement of the SLPP government when the brutal AFRC/RUF junta was ousted out of power there was a serious constitutional breach which saw the killing, amputation and burning of houses in Freetown and its environ. They disbanded the constituted national army and appointed the late General Kobe to head the army whilst Chief Sam Hinger Norman was deputy Defense Minister and head of the “Kamajoh” militia. But this does not mean we should behave same or seen to be doing the wrong things. The Bar Association and civil society groups were there but turned a blind eye and zipped up because they were in support of the decision and against the disgruntled army. The army fought back and only taken seriously and reinstated after the Freetown massacre followed by the Lome peace accord. Though the APC was there it did not raised the alarm bell to the point of calling for a mass demonstration to reinstate the army. Comrades the SLPP have a pattern of orchestrating violence to always see the APC out of power.
Long Live APC
Mustapha Bangura
PA/SJ/DE-Chapter
267-721-5684
