Of political crosstitutes and ants
There was much dancing and singing along the Old Railway line which was traced to the headquarters of the ruling APC. They were rejoicing because mainly former members of the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) were reported to have declared for their party. As I went through the names of the ‘new’ I could not help wondering how many times the same people needed to resign from the PMDC and join the APC. Names like Capt. Benjamin Davies make interesting reading. Once again I saw the name and photograph of the honourable Alhajie Benson Suwu, former Elementary Teachers’ certificate holder and now a respectable or he should be anyway, member of President Ernest Koroma’s government with offices in state house. This man had formally declared for the APC shortly after he had joined that party from the PMDC and before that from the SLPP. The national SLPP chairman John Benjamin has rightly poured scorn and contempt on the defection of J B Dauda former SLPP minister of Local government and Rural Development, then of Finance and before the SLPP left office an aide to former President Tejan-Kabbah. That erudite publisher and member of SLAJ Sylvia Blyden has the story of Alie Badara Mansaray on the front page of the Awareness Times newspaper of Wednesday February 9. It tells all there is to tell about the man from Waterloo with the addition of the pointed song by the APC women. I wasn’t there but being familiar with the tactics of many of those women I could imagine the gusto with which they sang. (Photo: Dr Sama Banya)
Most of the press simply reported the events at Old Railway line with only one of them crewing that the SLPP was in shambles. The irony of that headline is that the campaign for the leadership of the SLPP continues to be as in high gear. But missing were the rude condemnation that was applied to the likes of us even where we did NOT leave a party that was in opposition but one that was firmly in control and ready to put in place all the factors which usually contributed to its winning elections. Could it be as I suspect embarrassment that the APC is making a song and dance over events that have been repeated like a decimal point? Or is it, and this is most unlikely that they have been witnesses to these occurrences so often that they could not really be bothered? Whatever the reason it doesn’t say much for a press that uses much derogatory phrases on those politicians who had crossed over to the SLPP when it was in power. But, like I have always said most journalists behave like ants always after the sugar or honey.
Not too long go I commented on the reported behavior of two ministers who were reported to have instructed the police to arrest or detain or keep in protective custody some journalists. I directed my criticism more at the police than at the ministers, warning them of the danger of allowing themselves to be misused by over-zealous politicians, especially ministers. Not unexpectedly I have heard nothing more of the two incidents. Now in the Awoko newspaper of Wednesday February 9, Umaru Fofana draws attention to the practice of the new minister of internal affairs and the current minister of defense in the misuse of personnel in their respective ministries. What could be the reason for what can only be described as high handedness? This is a matter that should not even be brought to the attention of the President, not even to the Vice President. It is one that should be dealt with and swiftly at that too, by the Chief of Staff in the Presidency. Unless the order of protocols has changed, the minister immediately after the Vice President in precedence is usually the minister of finance and even he does not have a sarene or a platoon of soldiers or policemen as the case may be. But an old proverb says, “Man clothed with a little authority assumes such powers as to make angels weep.”
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