By Dr. Sama Banya.
Sorie Fofana or Manjoroka as I still address him fondly, the Publisher of the mass circulation Global Times newspaper has been my personal friend and editor-in-chief of my former “Puawui” column. Sorie is known for his short but sharp comments in the Global Times newspaper. He is not known to waste words. Sorie has called attention to the peril facing the ruling SLPP under the caption “SLPP: UNITE OR PERISH.” The warning could not have been more-timely!
For quite some time now rival supporters of different prospective candidates have developed the culture of provocative language to attack the candidates of their opponents. Many of us have been amazed at the invective especially on social media. They are not satisfied with bringing out those qualities in their subjects for which to canvass our support, but have quite often used the type of vocabulary that is more associated with our friends on the other side of the political divide.
That reminds me of the frequently used statement, “With friends like these, who needs enemies? That is just one of the new but detestable habits in our SLPP, hitherto fondly referred to as the Kombra Party. It also reminds me of the turbulent time when a young man named Julius Maada Bio dared to aspire for the position of flag bearer within the SLPP. Today he is President of Sierra Leone and Leader of the SLPP.
But Sorie Fofana has not put his finger on the greater danger which has the propensity to tear us apart. The rumors of moves to disenfranchise supporters of other aspirants from being voted for as delegates or worse as legitimate contestants, is to my mind, thoroughly reprehensible.
Already rumors are rife of whole groups beginning to lose interest, and through apathy to lose just stay away. All of this and much more have become a source of worry to those of us who have lived long enough and who recall with sadness, the events preceding the 1967 Parliamentary elections.
My appeal is to President Julius Maada Bio as the Leader of the party to take the bull by the horns and restore order and discipline and to insist that there is respect for the party constitution. The alternative to this is again to use his position to invoke the “family formulae” which worked satisfactorily as far back as 1955. He cannot wash his hands off because he with his Deputy Leader, the Vice President could now bring the various factions together. Otherwise, although Maada Bio will carry 2023, it wouldn’t be with the landslide majority that we hope. Whatever happens we must not go to Bo City in December as a divided group.
