Comrades, I’m afraid but we keep missing the key reasons why the APC is gradually loosing elections in the North. There are many many reasons and until and unless we first identify and accept them, we will not be making any headway. I was previledged to have accessed nearly all the districts in the North during my outreach political activities for the APC within the past six years.
From my interactions and observations, I was able to identify a good number of potential challenges for the party and we were complacent about them because we in government and the APC had never really been fully tested or stretched in the northwest. Kamarainba tried it in few areas in the port loko and Bombali districts and we were all brought to mere freezing points when results in those bye elections came out. If he had had a bigger financial muscle, it would have been a megga disaster for us. Here are some of the factors.
1. Most of our former APC ministers, government officials and MPs were a bit arrogant and stuck up in relating to their people. Some never frequently visited at all.
2. Some because of their gross insecurities and inadequacies, used their political influences to suppress others in their communities. Some chiefs, teachers and youths were grossly affected. Most of them are now being strengthened by the ruling slpp government which is now hunting us whilst others have completely lost interest in party politics. Eg kafubulum.
3. The recent boundary delimitation in the North in most cases were disasters eg falaba, sandal bendugu etc.
4. Not many opportunities were created for the youths in terms of skills training and development by our past government hence most of the youths in the North lack adequate skills and are consequently unemployed and hence very very vulnerable and can be easily led or influenced .
5. Most of the key APC government officials in EBK’s administration were selfish, jealous and envious of each other and hence did not and do not still work together
. 6 Processes and procedures used in the Allocations of party symbols were guided by sentiments and money and not by popularity of the candidates.
7. Certain previously very loyal communities did not benefit a lot from the past APC administration and hence were very disappointed and bitter. Eg madina thonkor. No water, no lights, no good road from kambia Town to madina. Similarly the matotoka, yilleh Road leading to Bo. The mile 91 to margboroka Road in the thonkolili District. So with all these factors, now that the ruling slpp has started to empower some key northerners, any major tangible developments that would change the lives of people in those communities would be a massive challenge for us as a party.
8. The eleven years of Minkailu Bah as education minister was a night mere and a total disaster. Recruitment procedures were all messy hence most of the teachers in the North could not benefit because of his arrogance. Most of these disgruntled unapproved teachers are now being approved by the slpp government which invariably is hunting us.
And remember, people in those areas in the North are much easier to swing their political allegiance than people in the South East and the APC has honestly never been stretched and tested as it is now. So apart from the intimidation tactics, the people in the North now seem to be willingly cooperating with the slpp which warrants us to change our leadership, our systems and tactics, our campaign slogans and messages and intensify and embark on early outreach political activities or else, honestly comrades, our optimism of coming back to power in 2023 will be nothing but a mere dream. So sorry if I did step on a few toes but knowing me for being fearless with my opinions, those were my genuine observations. 🙄😎😎. Hon Robin Faley
