By Alusine Sesay
Reliable sources within the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) have told Concord Times that the party’s 2018 and 2023 flagbearer, Dr.Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara, boycotted the National Advisory Committee (NAC) meeting that was held on Monday at their Railway Line head office in Freetown.
The wind of change within the APC is hotly blowing with the young generation yearning to take over from the old faces, who have been in control since 2007 to date.
In a rather appealing tone, one of the young stars of the party, Sylvester Suaray, in a widely circulated article, voiced out the need for a change within the party.
Meanwhile, it was not clear as to why he boycotted the meeting, but according to the sources, he was to be informed about his status as flagbearer since he has contested elections twice without delivering victory for the party.
It was disclosed that Samura Kamara held a meeting with district chairmen of the party prior to the meeting, a development which caused a delay for the NAC meeting.
“He didn’t only boycott it; he tried to sabotage it by inviting the district and regional chairmen to a meeting at his residence on the same day and at the same time. That actually delayed the start of the meeting at the party office,” a senior party member told Concord Times.
“It’s clearly a psychological warfare. He is trying to fight with the objective of getting them on his side and weakens the central party structure.”
Since his appointment as flagbearer of the party in 2018, Samura Kamara had maintained a lukewarm relationship with the party structure, setting up an office separate from the party’s headquarters where all campaign activities were planned.
He has always complained of being undermined by the party’s structure and he has seemingly picks a fight with the party’s structure by creating discord and playing psychological game with some executive members.
“The fact is that his behaviour may be seen as a direct challenge to the authority of the party. This has also been Samura’s problem from the beginning, his inability to work with the Minkailu led administration. He has not made effort to collaborate, cooperate, always accusing Minkailu and the party of not supporting him. That thinking permeates his inner r circle and has been cascaded to his bloggers which is responsible for the current recriminations. Such thinking appears shallow and has no basis in view of the massive support he received at the convention. If the party did not support him how did he get such overwhelming support?”
