By Alfred Peter Conteh
In one of Shakespeare’s plays the Merchant of Venice one of the two main characters were Antonio and Shylock. Antonio lost all his goods at sea leading to his inability to repay Shylock. While in court, Shylock told the judge that as a compensation he needed a pound of flesh from Antonio at all cost. It was a revenge on Antonio Readers may conclude weather that story correlates to Sam’s predicament The political standoff between the former Vice President of Sierra Leone, Chief Samuel Sam Sumana, and the All People’s Congress (APC) continues to intensify, sparking debate over whether the party is deliberately blocking him from realizing his presidential ambition as a way of holding him accountable for his past actions.
Sam Sumana once enjoyed the height of political power under the APC, having been elected Vice President during the presidency of Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. However, his political fortunes crumbled after he was expelled from the party and subsequently sacked from office by his former boss. The fallout marked the beginning of a bitter relationship between him and the APC.
In retaliation, Sam Sumana founded and aligned himself with the Coalition for Change (C4C), a move that many within the APC believe contributed significantly to the party’s defeat in the 2018 general elections. For several APC loyalists, that chapter remains an unforgiven “political sin.”
Despite this, after the 2018 elections, high ranking figures within the APC, including former President Ernest Bai Koroma, reached out to reconcile with Sam Sumana. Following intense persuasion, he eventually rejoined the APC, reportedly with the belief that the party would provide him with the platform to pursue his long standing dream of becoming President of Sierra Leone.
Yet, years after his return, Sam Sumana’s hopes appear increasingly uncertain.
Although the National Advisory Committee (NAC) the highest decision making body of the APC readmitted him, political analysts argue that he is still surrounded by a cloud of suspicion and resentment from within the party.
According to commentators, Sam Sumana’s presidential ambition under the APC is unlikely to materialize. Some see the party’s cold treatment of him as a silent but deliberate punishment for “betraying” the APC at a critical moment in its political history. Others, however, argue that the APC may simply be prioritizing unity and electability, and that Sam’s troubled past with the party makes him a risky choice as flagbearer.
For now, the big question remains Is the APC genuinely committed to giving Sam Sumana a fair chance, or is it quietly holding him accountable for what many within the party still view as his greatest political betrayal?
