NDA: Flag Bearers’ Match – The beautiful combination
Whenever the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is mentioned, its leadership comes to shadow, if not in mind. The beautiful combination was the undertone when Alhaji Wurrie Musidal Jalloh, made his choice of Mohamed Sidique Kabba as his appointed running mate. (Photo: (l-r) Mohamed Sidique Kabba, Alhaji W. M Jalloh, NDA Leaders)
What is a common comparison for the two are their ethnical inclinations of four tribes in the regions of North and South-East. Alhaji Wurrie Musidal Jalloh was born in the Northern Province by a Themne mother to a Fullah father. Sidique Kabba was born of a Mende mother to a Mandingo father. Both candidates – supposedly, are successful entrepreneurs with face values in various sectors ranging from mining to pharmaceuticals and serving state institutions.
For example, Alhaji W. M Jalloh apart from being a qualified medical Doctor is a politician who has sacrificed lots to become part of the governance reformation machinery that should put Sierra Leone back on track.
Sidique Kabba on the other hand is an investor and a well-known Boy Scout trainer who had employed over 5,000 youths in Sierra Leone under his spearhead MOYDOW Mines International designate for the Port Bauxite undertakings. His hometown of Kenema bears other segments of his visionary exemplifications and how prudent he proves to be in terms of clout, leadership style and mannerism of behavior.
The beautiful combination speaks of the fact that it would have taken the NDA to the level of winning the November 17, 2012, elections had it not been that the wrangling in court takes a misplaced priority in the mink of the time.
There was what is known as the suave of tribes in the loyalty campaign of the two candidates. Much as the fact is known that political parties are leaning on traditional strongholds –there is this tribal synergy that reduces the political parties into ethnic cleansing to the desperation that political parties see themselves –as Mende as in the case of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Themne as in the case of the All People’s Congress and Fullah as in the case of NDA.
The pointer is that for the sake of ethnicity – the two candidates stood the chance of luring traditional support over the fact that they are their tribesmen. On top of a shocker that there was rift between the Mandingoes and Fullahs as a result of the Guinean elections aftermaths – the unifier was the beautiful combination and it dispels the rowdy claims that what happened in Guinea was likely to have a replica in Sierra Leone (a spill-over effect). The civil of all approaches becomes the repellant and it was a factor – no politician should underestimate. What happens to this rally of ideas that have been nurtured? People are now dispelling the stronghold phraseology, must it be said that the tribe factor has it sibilance. Evidences are true that one does not win elections using tribes as its baseline – but what is unsaid is the fact that tribes are the very basis for the establishment of the infamous strongholds that are now in contention.
What many would call swing voters – sort of a term is employed here on a purpose – what that purpose could mean is that – these traditional voters initially have candidates in mind to vote for and for obvious reasons are now out of the race – would this control determine where they go from there?
One message must be resonating in mind – which is – a possible merger would have been a quick successive option in the platform. Where could that be of the two traditionally established parties (the APC & SLPP)? In order to create this mole of a support, the two older parties are left with one option to gauge what sense of direction the NDA is moving next. Not encouraging the politics of alliance or merger it will come as a loathsome suggestion to the loyal NDA membership – now that they have been sent to the political wilderness – without partaking in elections they’re so confident of winning having wailed on the fact that the two said traditional parties have been in governance since Sierra Leone attained independence in 1961.
What a beautiful combination for a midfielder and a finisher. In the sense of football, Sidique and Musidal would have served respectively not only to the membership of the NDA but for a country like Sierra Leone seeking the right leadership for a positive transformation.
By: Abu Bakarr Sulaiman Tarawally & M. S Biro
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