The resignation of Dr. Dennis Bright as the position Chairman and Leader of the NGC Party on 1st February, 2023 has dealt an enormous damage to the political career and ambition of Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella.

In his letter of resignation, Dr. Dennis Bright said, “You will recall that in recent times there have been significant differences within the top leadership of the party on key issues that have to do with the future of the NGC. It has now become clear to me that my continued presence and current role in the party are being considered a negative energy to some colleagues who are pursuing pathways that they hope will be of benefit to the party”.

Senior NGC sources confirmed that, Dr Dennis Bright felt uncomfortable with the direction that Dr. Kandeh Yumkella was taking the party.

In his opinion, Dr Kandeh Yumkella was only interested in cutting a deal for himself by negotiating a future role in the SLPP government led by President Bio after June 24, 2023 although allies and supporters have vehemently denied it.

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On the other hand, Dr Dennis Bright was accused of pushing for an NGC alliance with the APC, a position that was opposed by Yumkella and his henchman Ambassador Lawyer Fode Dabor. Still, the NGC Party finds itself in a serious political difficulty.

It is no secret that Yumkella is on his way to his family party, the SLPP and With his exit from the NGC, there will be no obvious successor.

The party does not have a formidable figure to succeed Yumkella who can be regarded as a colossus in the NGC. It is difficult to replace him. He is a politician of international stature.

The question is now being asked: what next for Dr. Kandeh Yumkella as we approach the June 24, 2023 multi-tier elections? Margaret Thatcher once noted that, a week is a long time in politics.

𝐕𝐏 𝐒𝐚𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚
The National Advisory Committee (NAC) of the APC on 6th March, 2015 took “a unanimous decision” to expel VP Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana from the APC Party for “anti-party activity, fermenting violence, deceit, false statement amounting to fraud, inciting hate, threatening the personal security of key party functionaries, flouting of rulings and decisions of the party, carrying out anti-party propaganda, and engaging in activities inconsistent with the achievements of the party’s objectives”

A week later on 18th March, 2015 President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma sacked Vice President Alhaji Sam Sumana for allegedly “abandoning” his duties as Vice President by allegedly seeking political asylum at the US Embassy in Freetown.

VP Sam Sumana never entered the compound of the US Embassy in Freetown on the day he fled his private residence at IMMAT. He sought refuge in the private residence of a political ally and later went to the residence of a family member to avoid being physically attacked by APC thugs dressed in military uniform.

VP Sam Sumana later emerged as the Presidential flag bearer of a new party formed by disgruntled APC members resident in the diaspora. The C4C Party later became known as the “Kono Party”. In the 2018 elections, the C4C Party swept all but one Parliamentary seat in Kono district. They won both the City and District Council elections in Kono.

In 2020, VP Sam Sumana resigned from the C4C Party to return to the APC after several clandestine meetings with top APC officials including the Party’s Chairman/Leader, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. VP Sam Sumana’s membership of the APC Party remains in doubt. There has been no decision taken by the party or the court to overturn his expulsion from the party.

Recently, VP Sam Sumana’s bid to run for the party’s flag bearer position was rejected. He has not been allowed to contest for the post of APC flag bearer because the decision to expel him from the party remains in full force. It has not been rescinded by any court of law or even by the party itself.

With the exit of VP Sam Sumana from the C4C Party, there is no obvious successor waiting in the wings to take over from him as party flag bearer.

Recently, ten C4C serving Councilors in both the Koidu City Council and the Kono District Council publicly declared their intention to join the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), this will mark the end of C4C in Kono.

After all these setbacks for VP Sam Sumana, what is running through his mind now? Is he going to continue to fight for his reinstatement in the APC Party until 2028 or is he joining his C4C Parliamentary caucus led by the young, brilliant and formidable Hon. Emmerson Saa Lamina on their way to the SLPP?

The question is still being asked: what next for VP Sam Sumana?