By Massah Kugbanyande
Dr Ibrahim Bangura has often reiterated in his public engagements that it’s high time Sierra Leoneans drew a big line between our ugly political past and the current political trajectory in the quest to build a new Sierra Leone. “Heal, unite, and build Sierra Leone is a national dream that has no room for tribalism or regionalism. It is not about me, you, him or her or any political party. It is about us Sierra Leoneans living in a peaceful country where we see ourselves as one. A country where sustainable developments cut across political boundaries, ” Dr Ibrahim Bangura maintains , adding that there should be no justifiable reason why Sierra Leoneans would leave this country for fear of being intimidated or threatened after general elections by the victors, because after politics comes national development, as long as we are ready to embrace each other.
The opposition must be provided with the level playing ground to contribute to national development, and the opposition too must show that level of commitment rather than undermining the process of good governance. Underneath Dr. Bangura’s message is national cohesion, with a special focus on women’s empowerment, youth employment, and inclusive governance, a situation in which trust plays a pivotal role. Dr Ibrahim Bangura’s clarion call to heal, unite, and build a new Sierra Leone has resonated with the much cherished dream of patriotic Sierra Leoneans nationwide. Dr Ibrahim Bangura is fast attracting the admiration of the electorate nationwide, and hence could be easily marketable if given the flagbearer position in the APC. The APC delegates must be cautioned to understand the political dynamics in Sierra Leone today. It is not just about voting for a candidate because he or she has money and is popular within the rank and file of the APC alone, but a candidate that has a national appeal like Dr Ibrahim Bangura. His track record is clean, and his dream for Sierra Leone resonates with the aspiration of many Sierra Leoneans, most of whom are not card carriers of the APC.
Remember also that the issue of national appeal plays key roles in elections in Sierra Leone. Dr Ibrahim Bangura has, on many occasions, exhibited those qualities that attract national appeal from across the political divide. The onus, therefore, first rests on the membership of the All People’s Congress party, particularly the delegates, as charity begins at home. At a critical moment like this in our country, the APC supporters have been urged by Dr Ibrahim Bangura to embrace peace, unity, and reconciliation. From all indications, Dr Bangura’s unique leadership style approach is in quest for the transformation of Sierra Leone governance architecture and to achieve sustainable national development. It is, however, said that a thousand-mile journey starts somewhere with a single step, and hence, such a laudable political journey starts with the opposition APC, where Dr IbrahimBangura belongs. The peace and conflict expert is also not oblivious to the current internal squabblesof the APC and, therefore, has appealed to supporters to embrace peace, unity, reconciliation, and collective responsibility, and warned against internal division. Those who have been misled or misinformed to see Dr Bangura as a “newcomer” have been fed the untruth.
Dr Ibrahim Bangura is a grassroots son of the APC from birth throughout his university education in and outside Sierra Leone. His intervention in bringing together the NRM and APC party stakeholders has been widely acclaimed and remains fresh in the minds of those who mean well for the APC. Dr Ibrahim Bangura, therefore, believes that the future of the party and the country should not be shaped by selfish interests but by collective resilience and commitment towards strengthening the APC and nationwide sustainable developments through inclusive good governance. Throughout his political sojourn, Dr Ibrahim Bangura has been able to portray and convince people that his vision for a new Sierra Leone is non-partisan, not about personal, regional, or tribal interest. The APC
DELEGATES must, therefore, use this glorious opportunity to give the flagbearer mandate to the unblemished Dr. Ibrahim Bangura to lead the collective realisation of a well tailored dream of healing, uniting and building a new Sierra Leone. Dr Ibrahim Bangura is the only flagbearer candidate among the APC aspirants, whose vision resonates with the aspiration of the ordinary man who feels the brunt of bad governance with a few selfish people at the helm of affairs. The popularity of some flagbearer aspirants does not go beyond the district or region or constituency where they come from. Dr. Bangura’s popularity has grown beyond regional and tribal boundaries. He is a choice the APC delegates must not ignore.