By Mohamed Kamara
Dr. Edward Edwin Moore of the African Institute for Strategic Studies in the United Kingdom has described former Vice President Sam Sumana’s petition against the All Peoples Congress (APC) as complex and indicative of the political tensions shaping Sierra Leone’s preparations for genuine elections, particularly in light of the Tripartite recommendations between the two main political parties.
Dr. Moore noted that the rights of party members to petition their parties when they feel disadvantaged raise several legal and constitutional questions in Sumana’s case. These include whether he was constitutionally reinstated after being expelled from the APC, whether he had paid his dues, and what legal obstacles might prevent him from contesting any position in future elections.
According to Dr. Moore, the APC constitution stipulates that Sumana’s reinstatement depends on the outcome of a delegate conference. Until that process is concluded, his political status remains uncertain, generating contradictions and debates both at home and abroad.
He added that some analysts believe Sumana might have remained in the Coalition for Change (C4C), which he founded and helped expand, mirroring the approach of Charles Margai’s People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC). Margai had resigned from the SLPP and exerted political pressure in the 2007 elections before eventually separating from his former party.
Dr. Moore concluded that Sam Sumana’s political future remains uncertain, and his petition may serve as a gateway for multiple disputes and petitions leading up to the 2028 elections
