By Ibrahim Fofanah
The political dynamics within the National Grand Coalition (NGC) and its relationship with the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) have indeed been complex and contentious.
There is a serious internal strife within the National Grand Coalition (NGC) party, stemming from disputes between the leadership factions, over party control, accusations of bribery, and allegations of interference by Dr. Kandeh Yumkella (KKY), a once celebrated leader of the NGC.
Dr. Kandeh Yumkella is a founding figure of the NGC, who initially positioned the party as a transformative alternative to the dominant SLPP and APC . The NGC had significant following then to deny either APC or SLPP from securing the minimum 55% threshold necessary to form a government in any general election. However, Kandeh cajoled NGC members to go into an alliance with SLPP and right after the alliance won and SLPP in power, he dumped his old party and returned to the SLPP which sparked significant controversy and feelings of betrayal among NGC members. As a result, the embattled Chairman and Leader Jesmed F Suma trying to lead the party by presenting it as an independent party that can be trusted again to represent the people made an appeal to former members to come back. In an attempt to earn back trust from these former members and the general public who were disappointed over the failures of the alliance, the chairman extended an apology during an AYV TV interview and pleaded with them to come back to the party, noting that the party is independent and no longer in an alliance with SLPP in practical terms.
It is alleged that his TV apology did not sit well with KKY and the few allies he has left within the NGC party.
As a result, KKY allies, as alleged, attempted to hijack the party by bribing National Executive Committee (NEC) members to suspend the acting chairman, Jesmed F Suma. This attempted hijack has angered the rest of the members of the party particularly the youth some of whom have consulted a law firm to intervene on their behalf for what they consider to be an unjust and unconstitutional move by the KKY allies within the party.
This situation has led to speculation that Yumkella, sensing limited prospects in the SLPP as a potential successor to President Bio, may be trying to use the NGC as a fallback platform to challenge the SLPP in the 2028 elections. This could potentially fragment votes and weaken the SLPP’s position against the main opposition, the All-People’s Congress (APC).
Determined to force their grip on the party, the few remaining KKY allies within NGC led by the current secretary general Amadu Sheriff, held a mini-convention, over the weekend despite an injunction granted on Friday by the Rt Hon Justice Amy J Wright during which they allegedly elected a new chairman and they allegedly unconstitutionally expelled several members from the party including Jesmed F Suma whose term of office as Chairman and Leader is still current until Dec 2025.
However, it was also alleged that Sheriff produced another ruling by the very justice Amy J Wright, vacating the very interim injunction she had granted just a day earlier without any notice given to the complaints and their lawyers Marrah & Associates.
For a judge to overturn her own ruling without notice to one of the parties involved, especially before a scheduled hearing, are rare and generally considered unusual in democratic systems of justice and could raise serious due process concerns.
If this situation occurred, it could raise questions about procedural fairness and judicial independence in Sierra Leone, potentially warranting an appeal or further scrutiny by higher courts or judicial review mechanisms. I find it hard to believe that a seasoned and experienced Justice like Hon. Amy J Wright would make such a colossal judicial blunder.
If, on the other hand, the ruling was not vacated, then the actions of Sheriff and his KKY allies could potentially be seen as contempt of court.
Furthermore, if it turns out to be true that KKY is behind this, could this foreshadow how he might wield presidential power—manipulating the wheels of justice to serve his interests? If so, how can one trust a leader whose actions starkly contradict his previous stances on justice and democracy in Sierra Leone?
The challenge in NGC reflects ongoing political dynamics in Sierra Leone, particularly the challenges smaller parties face in asserting independence while navigating alliances with larger parties. It also underscores the consequences of internal leadership struggles and shifting loyalties in shaping the political landscape as is happening now in NGC with the risk of destabilizing the party further, undermining its credibility and long-term goals.
If Yumkella were to succeed in controlling NGC through his allies, NGC’s future direction and its impact on the SLPP and the broader political scene must be closely watched. SLPP could be in trouble if they should choose any other as flagbearer and not KKY. It is speculated that KKY seem determined to control NGC to use as a potential platform to challenge and take away votes from any other SLPP flagbearer in effect destroying SLPP’s chance of winning. No one knows what JFSuma’s leaning would be should he lead NGC to 2028. The question many are asking is, will he continue his drive to lead the party as a non-aligned independent party or will he side with SLPP as the chief decision maker without KKY’s influence. He is known to bore some obsessive hatred for APC considering the fact it was APC that got him arrested and locked up for over 30 days made him a political prisoner when he was suspected to be a front for KKY and had a political party registered, NPD as a potential platform for KKY long before the birth of the NGC party. So Ernest Koroma got him arrested and locked up. He is still bitter about that.
Except otherwise, but because of this past experience with APC it is very unlikely that a Jesmed F Suma lead NGC will ever align with APC.
IB the warrior
