By Alhaji Haruna Sani
Alhaji Alpha Bakarr Sahid Kanu, aka AK11 and recently the Ferryman, has quit the All People’s Congress (APC) party. His resignation was officially made known to the public though a letter of resignation he sent to the APC headquarters on April 28th, 2023.
Alpha Kanu cited that persistent unpleasant prevailing circumstances surround his continued membership of the All People’s Congress as the reason for his retreat.
According to his letter, his relationship with the APC has spanned over 60 years, from being a sympathizer of the party since 1962, a supporter since 1967, and an active member since 1991.
However, he expressed disappointment with the way the APC’s executive members have treated him, especially after failing to be selected as the party’s nominee for Presidential Candidate for the 2018 Presidential Elections.
In his letter, Alpha Kanu mentioned that he was the only member of the Executive who was inexplicably removed from his position as National Publicity Secretary after failing to be selected by the party in October 2017.
He also expressed his frustration with the top hierarchy of the Party, stating that they had always done everything possible to make him feel unwelcome in any deliberations regarding the management of the Party.
Alpha Kanu has stated that his focus is to help move Sierra Leone forward in the area of political and socio-economic development for the benefit of its people, an aspiration that he believes is unlikely to be fulfilled if he continues his membership of the APC.
In the run-up to the 2018 elections, Kanu was one of 28 candidates aspiring for the presidential flagbearership of the APC party. But his dream was cut short when the leader and chairman of the APC – President Koroma decided to hand-pick Dr Samura Kamara as the party’s presidential flagbearer
He served in various capacities in the former President Ernest Bai Koroma led government, including as Minister of Information and Communications from 2007 to 2015, and Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources from 2015 to 2018.
Kanu recently endorsed the current president, Julius Maada Bio of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). He is expected to be a key figure for the SLPP in the upcoming elections, especially in the Northern part of the country, which is the strong hold of the main opposition, APC.
Critics of Alpha Kanu have described him as a political prostitute who trades pride and self-respect for personal gain. But his supporters say that he is merely showing patriotism by rising to the occasion to serve his country, irrespective of which political party is in power.