Following a press statement released on Wednesday, 11th January, 2024 by the Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya of the main opposition, All Peoples Congress on behalf of the party showing solidarity to former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and their former Chairman and leader, Ernest Bai Koroma, who is currently in custody under House Arrest and standing trial for his involvement in the November 26th failed coup attempt, which was initially considered a breach of security. The government has alleged that the November 26 incident was a plot to overthrow the Bio-led government.
Recent development after the release of the press statement has it that the Sierra Leone Police through the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have invited the APC Scribe for questioning in respect of the press statement. Mr. Dumbuya made his invitation known to the general public and members of the APC by twitter.
Writing on Twitter, the APC Secretary General, Mr Lansana Dumbuya stated thus: “interesting development, I have just been invited to the CID for issuing a press statement in support of former President Ernest Bai Koroma.”
Below is the Press Statement issued by the Secretary General on behalf of the All Peoples Congress in solidarity of former President Koroma for which Lansana Dumbuya has been invited by the police for questioning.
The APC Is Confident Of Former President Koroma’s Innocence, and Stands With Him
The APC is utterly disappointed with, and livid about the distasteful persecution of our former Chairman and Leader, His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma. The former president diligently and inspiringly served our nation as a two-term democratically elected President.
At the end of his presidency, he gracefully relinquished power in a demonstrable respect for Sierra Leone’s constitutional term limit, and conducted peaceful, free and fair election which ushered in the then opposition candidate as president.
Since he left power in 2018, he has dedicated his time and energy in promoting peace, democratic good governance and smooth transitions across Africa. It is therefore exceedingly hurtful and totally unacceptable for a noble statesman of such high repute and distinguished democratic credentials, to be tarnished with political vendetta and accusations of an involvement in a coup d’état.
Those trumped-up treason and other charges represent a dangerous precedent and a credible threat to the peace and stability of Sierra Leone.
The APC has shown incredible restraint in respect of what is clearly a sustained political witch – hunt, intimidation, harassment and persecution, as promised by the president during his campaign. While we continue to condemn the events of 26th November, 2023, and all forms of unconstitutional change of government, we also strongly abhor the deliberate democratic backsliding and imposition of the increasing tendencies of a one-party political hegemony in Sierra Leone.
Several of our supporters and members at constituency, district, regional and national levels have been arrested and detained for weeks and months without charge. This has been the pattern since 2018.
We have reached a point where the APC would have to face its circumstances with all its strength and wherewithal. We stand firm with our former chairman and leader, as well as our National Organising Secretary, Comrade Bai Mahmoud Bangura.
With the country on the precipice, we strongly urge the SLPP to retract from this dangerous, unproductive path, and take concrete strides to promote peace, rather than hate and political divide. All we have is our beloved country, and it is our responsibility to work together to unify it.
In the meantime, let no one be afraid, the APC is confident about former President Koroma’s innocence. The APC will meet to consider our next action steps, and we shall communicate them to the public.
From this backdrop, it goes without saying that the APC scribe will have to come to the CID on Monday for questioning. This development has left many minds boggling with what will be the next step of the Bio-led government. People amongst the APC might be thinking whether the APC scribe, who is himself a lawyer, would be incarcerated. Sierra Leoneans wait to see how the invitation of Lawyer Lansana would end.
In the Press statement, the APC through its Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya expressed disappointment, frustration and disgust over the ‘persecution’ of their former chairman and leader, who conscientiously served the country as a democratically elected president for two consecutive terms of five years each. The press release emphasized that former President Koroma served and gracefully relinquished and handed political power respectfully after conducting peaceful, free and fair elections by which president Bio assumed political power. The press statement further stated that after the president left political power in 2018, he gave more time and energy in promoting peace, democratic good governance and smooth transition across Africa.
‘’It is therefore exceedingly hurtful and totally unacceptable for a noble statesman of such high repute and distinguished democratic credentials, to be tarnished with political vendetta and accusations of an involvement in a coup d’état’’ Mr Dumbuya stated in the press statement.
The press release describes the ongoing treason trial against former President Koroma as ‘… a sustained political witch- hunt, intimidation, intimidation, harassment and persecution; as promised by the President during the campaign…’ The APC Press statement, however, condemned the November 26th event and all forms of unconstitutional change of government, which C4D Media sees as germane to uphold democracy in the country. The Press Statement, however expressed abhorrence against , what they call: ‘democratic backsliding and imposition of the increasing tendencies of a one-party political hegemony in Sierra Leone’’
The press restatement also pointed out that since 2018, there has been a pattern by which APC supporters and members at constituency, district, regional and national levels have been locked up for weeks and months without charge.
The press statement called on the Bio led government to refrain from its ‘’…dangerous, unproductive path and take concrete strides to promote peace, rather than hate and political divide.’’ emphasizing on the need to work together to unify the country. The press release further called on APC supporters not to be afraid but to be confident that former President Koroma is innocent.
As the situation is, C4D holds the conviction that as Sierra Leoneans, we are better together, if we consider ourselves as one people, one country with one future and that our similarities far supersedes our differences. Our differences can be better reconciled when we have love, respect, tolerance and acceptance of divergent views as democracy demands.
