By Hassan I. Conteh

The deep rifts within the All People’s Congress (APC) party have showed a party poised for a losing battle come June 24th, 2023.

Once a vocal opposition party, it is now a ‘dumb-bomb’ as it grapples with intra-party issues ahead of the multitier elections this year.

APC party still reels to its heels as it confronts ‘overwhelming challenges’ within and outside the party.

Signs of turbulent times for the party clearly show that APC may lose 2023 polls to SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party), the sitting government.

The main opposition has been maimed by several courts’ litigations, sanctions and petitions.

Petitions slammed on APC by its prominent supporters have derailed progress on its holding primary elections since recent years.

Key among APC’s prominent members, Alfred Peter Conteh, who was representing National Reformation Movement ( NRM), took the party to court.

Mr. Conteh including others within the party called out for swift reforms through a court hearing.

It is clear that several petitions and counter- petitions by Alfred Conteh and others have since scuppered the main opposition’s readiness and preparedness to contesting 2023 elections.

APC current opposition is not like the one in previous years.

An opposition with a unified team could put a potent force behind a sitting government.

That was what the party under former President Ernest Bai Koroma demonstrated.

In 2002 elections, it campaigned with one message, unity.

The ‘APC Back to Power’ slogan was a well-known chorus used by Sierra Leoneans who craved for a change of government.

A bankrupt opposition and in spite of her intra-political struggles, was able to peaceably remove SLPP from power.

The party’s presidential candidate, Ernest Bai Koroma, was hated by his opponents within APC itself. He was also not loved by some supporters within the political group.

But his party was able to put its house in order. Because its members believed in the mantra of Abraham Lincoln, a US former president that a house divided against itself could not stand.

The success of APC in 2002 was also because it had well- experienced party leaders who stood up firmly to uphold ‘All People’s Congress’ true ideals.

Those leaders were able to put out a strong force against a well- fortified sitting government and/or a party which had finance at its disposal to run election’s campaigns.

However, political analysts say APC in recent years is completely different from APC in the past.

By the look of things, APC in 2023 is in fact, worse than APC in 2018.

For instance, when the party lost 2018 elections largely due to greviances among contenders for the party’s presidential candidature, party leadership differences deepen like trenches.

Instead of a better reform, bitter pills are swallowed by party elders–APC’s 2018 presidential aspirants.

The party’s 2018 presidential candidate, Dr. Samura Kamara is still hated by his opponents in the party.

Despite Dr. Samura Kamara is still the people’s flavour of the moment, he is hated the more by his colleagues politicians.

Dr. Samura Kamara is still grappling with corruption allegations by the country anti-graft agency, Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC).

The politician has not cleared of his charges against him.

So a stain-chain hangs around his neck. And his party, All People’s Congress, still fights to get out of the mud.

Earlier, a court clearance for APC to hold its lower elections is revoked by a national body for all political groups, PPRC (Political Parties Regulation Commission).

These turbulent events against APC have overwhelmed many Sierra Leoneans, supporters of the party and the supporters’ hopes continue to wither like leaves in hot and sunny days.

APC’s back to power slogan momentum among people is dead as the party struggles to have a grip for a come back