Some supporters of Sierra Leone’s main opposition political party, the All People’s Congress (APC) have blasted the formation of a new faction within the party named ‘The BIG-6’.
The BIG-6 according to reports comprises of 6 senior APC members who contested for the party’s flagbearer ticket in the 2018 presidential election that saw Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara emerging winner.
This is coming just when the world thinks the APC party has successfully settled the dust on a long standing saga between the party and a faction called the National Reformation Movement (NRM).
According to some disgruntled APC supporters who spoke to this writer, the BIG-6 if not watched and dissolved now, has the tendency to pose divide and disrepute on the command structures within the APC party.
In a public audio released by a disgruntled die-hearted supporter of the APC identifying herself as an Abacha street trader, she expressed dismay over the formation of the BIG -6 faction, with worries that it will bring nothing but divide within the party.
Clarifying what he referred to as a misinformation being circulated against the formation of the BIG-6, one of the former flagbearer aspirants, Dr. Richard Konteh said he had listened to few audios circulated on social media with APC people expressing frustrations over an alleged division within the APC party.
He said after listening to these audios, he came to the conclusion that someone somewhere is misleading the masses.
Hastening to clarify the allegation that they the members of the BIG-6 are fighting the party and its leadership, Dr. Konteh said none of them in the BIG-6 has any intention to divide the party neither did they have any intention or reason to fight the party and its leadership.
He said: “We are APC born and breed and we are devoted to our party and strongly believe in what it stands for and represents. We have stood by the party through difficult times and nothing will shake us now or any other time.”
He said they came together as former flagbearer aspirants as a response to the appeal made by well-meaning members and supporters, especially the grassroots of the party for them to come together as former flagbearer aspirants of the party and be united.
This unity Dr. Konteh believes will bring them as former flagbearer aspirants together in unity and oneness and build more confidence in each other in enabling a way forward for the betterment of the APC party.
“We believe when we continue to work together like this, at the end of the day, the APC will go to the elections as one big family with a unity and focus to win the elections. We are not fighting anybody and we have no intention to go against anybody or unanimous decisions within the party. We believe and respect the leadership of the APC, especially for the sacrifices they have made so far.” Dr. Konteh stated.
He reminded all that in democracy, everybody has the right to contest for any position he so desires. He said contesting for any position does not mean that person is going against anything but merely expressing his democratic right.
He called for unity within the party and a focused attention for a successful election in 2023.
