The embattled Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Sam- Sumana, who was recently expelled from the All Peoples Congress (APC) political party, has challenged the decision for him to quit.
Embattled: Says he will take matter to the Supreme Court
The VP was expelled from the party by the National Advisory Committee (NAC) of the APC.
In a Press Release dated 18th March 2015, the VP said he is still the Vice President and will not quit and will take matter to the Supreme Court.
“I have heard on both SLBC Radio and Television of the action of the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, in purporting to relieve me of my duties as Vice-President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, having been duly elected to the said Office, together with the President in 2012. I received the said news with shock and dismay.
However, since I am not a Constitutional Lawyer, I have consulted with my legal team that has advised me as follows:-
- That I was not appointed as Vice President by the President, but was duly elected to that Office pursuant to section 54(3) of the Constitution.
- That the President has absolutely no power to ‘relieve me of the duties of the Vice President’ in any part of the Constitution, Act No. 6 of 1991, but the said Constitution makes provisions at Section 55 thereof for the Office of the Vice President to become vacant either:
- On the expiration of the Term of Office of the Vice President ,
- If the Vice President resigns or retires from the said Office (…),
- If the Vice President is removed from office in accordance with either the Provisions of Section 49(4) of the said Constitution; Or
- Upon the assumption by the Vice President to the Office of the President under Section 49(4) of the said Constitution.
I have been further advised by my legal team that my purported removal from the Office of the Vice President, to which I was duly elected by the people of the Republic of Sierra Leone, is UNCONSTITUNAL and UNLAWFUL.
Sierra Leone’s president on Wednesday fired his vice president, who was expelled from the APC earlier this month on accusations of fomenting violence and trying to form a new party.
President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma
Early Wednesday, President Ernest Bai Koroma announced that he had removed Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana from office, citing a constitutional requirement that anyone running for vice president be a member of a political party.
Sam-Sumana was expelled from the ruling All People’s Congress political party on March 6. The party statement made several accusations against Sam-Sumana including that he was instigating unrest. Sam-Sumana has rejected the accusations against him.
On March 14, soldiers disarmed the security team at Sam-Sumana’s residence. He then fled, saying he didn’t feel safe, and asked the U.S. embassy for asylum. The U.S. did not grant asylum and urged all sides to resolve the problem through the rule of law.
Earlier this week, Sam-Sumana returned to his home and a group of the country’s political parties tried to negotiate a solution.
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