As the 71st birthday of former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma approaches on October 2, 2024, the group “Friends of EBK” has announced plans to celebrate the occasion.

Sahr Mokuwah, President of the group, shared the details, emphasizing the significant impact Koroma had during his time in office and his lasting legacy within the All People’s Congress (APC) party.

Mokuwah expressed admiration for the former president, stating, “As party members, we should be proud of him for giving the APC a facelift after the NPRC regime.”

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He credited Koroma’s leadership for bringing the APC to power and criticized those who he believes have tarnished his image, accusing them of blackmailing Koroma to the current administration of President Julius Maada Bio. Mokuwah reaffirmed the enduring popularity of Koroma within the APC, noting that no one could diminish the former leader’s influence on the party or the country.

“We want to inform President Bio that nobody within the APC party has the popularity to wipe the love of EBK from the party,” Mokuwah added, emphasizing Koroma’s importance to Sierra Leone’s ongoing political landscape and expressing hopes for national reconciliation and sustainable democracy.

Koroma, who served as President from 2007 to 2018, remains a central figure in Sierra Leone’s politics despite facing legal challenges. He is currently facing four charges, including treason, misprision of treason, and harboring, in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow the government of President Julius Maada Bio in November 2023.

In January 2024, Koroma was granted permission to leave Sierra Leone for urgent medical treatment in Nigeria after his legal team successfully filed a bail review application. The application allowed him to seek treatment abroad for 90 days. However, despite the expiration of that period, Koroma has yet to return to Sierra Leone, leaving questions about his legal situation unresolved.

As his supporters prepare to celebrate his birthday, Koroma’s future remains uncertain. Nonetheless, his influence within the APC and Sierra Leonean politics remains strong, with his supporters rallying around him during this turbulent time. Mokuwah closed his statement with a message of hope, saying, “May God continue to protect him for us.”