By Abdul Bero Kamara- Chief

8th July 2025

The leadership of the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in Parliament recently engaged in a formal visit to President Julius Maada Bio to express their congratulations on his election as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

While some hardline party supporters of the APC expressed dissatisfaction with their leadership’s parliamentary engagement with the President, a significant number of party members believe that, although such meetings are not inherently inappropriate, the APC leadership in Parliament has squandered a good opportunity to confront the President regarding perceived constitutional violations.

Numerous party members voiced their concerns regarding the submission made by Hon. Abdul Kargbo, the leader of the APC in Parliament, which seemingly depicted him as begging the President’s assistance in resolving their outstanding salary backlog. This development has caused considerable disenchantment among party loyalists.

Critics argue that several critical issues should have been raised with the President, as these would highlight potential concerns regarding his dubious agenda for the upcoming 2028 elections.

Foremost among these issues is the recent appointment of Mr. Pat Labib Saffa as the election commissioner for the Eastern Region, made without prior consultation with the APC, the principal opposition party.

This action appears to contravene Section 32(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates that members of the electoral commission be appointed by the President following consultations with leaders of registered political parties.

It is pertinent to note that prominent lawyer and prospective presidential candidate for the APC, Comrade Ady Macauley, swiftly condemned President Bio’s constitutional breach in a recent tweet.

Comrade Ady asserted that the President’s actions reflect a compromised agenda that violates relevant constitutional provisions, emphasising that such an agenda would encounter significant opposition.

Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding the constitutional review process, with the Committee’s activities being conducted in secrecy since its inception.

Regrettably, the APC remains uninformed about the current progress of this critical review, which bears substantial implications for the future of Sierra Leone.

Moreover, the President’s sluggish implementation of the tripartite recommendations suggests a reluctance to take necessary actions.

The pressing question arises: why should the issue of the Members of Parliament (MPs) backlog occupy a central role among the key concerns to be addressed with the President?

Critics argue that Hon. Kargbo’s focus on the MP backlog implies a prioritisation over other urgent issues, such as Recommendation 78 of the tripartite agreement, which relates to the electoral system and constitutional review among other issues not mentioned

Furthermore, why did Hon. Kargbo refrain from confronting the President more assertively by advocating for the dismissal of the dishonourable Paran Tarawally, rather than merely placing him on leave?

Interestingly, the President has acknowledged that national unity is unattainable without the involvement of the APC, indicating that the APC possesses the potential to disrupt the functioning of the SLPP government.

By and large, President Bio perceives the APC leadership as weak and is capitalising on their vulnerabilities. As a result, he can execute his actions without any significant resistance from the APC. Unfortunately, he has had a free hand to operate, and he continues to believe this situation will persist.

In conclusion, the APC  party must adopt an aggressive proactive stance in addressing the actions of President Bio to convey that the status quo is no longer acceptable.

In this context, the APC leadership within Parliament should maintain a firm position and persist in their boycott until Mr. Paran Tarawally is removed from his current role.

Critics argue that placing Paran Tarawally on leave constitutes a temporary measure intended to appease the leadership of the APC in Parliament, thereby encouraging their return to work.

In the long term, the decision to place Paran Tarawally on leave may yield two possible scenarios. Should he secure the Secretary Generalship of his party, he may be unable to return as the Clerk of Parliament.

Conversely, if he loses, a return could occur, potentially resulting in a situation where the APC Members of Parliament have already returned to Parliament by that time.    

The APC should never trust President Bio, as it is no secret that he does not like the party. For now, he may project a cordial relationship with the APC due to his position as chair of ECOWAS.

However, it’s important to recognise that this could be a strategic ploy to buy time while he implements mechanisms and structures that could ultimately place the APC in a state of permanent opposition.

President Bio “Nar Snake paddy” and the APC should never trust him because he is deceptive, manipulative and very dangerous