APC & JAGABAN, WHO IS FOOLING WHO?
The National Publicity Secretariat of the All People’s Congress (APC) has rejected claims by flagbearer aspirant Mohamed Omodu Kamara, popularly known as Jagaban, that the party received a $200,000 financial contribution for activities in Bombali District.
In a statement issued in response to Mr Kamara’s allegations, the APC Publicity Secretariat described some of his assertions as containing “factual inaccuracies and disparaging insinuations” that do not reflect the reality of the party’s affairs.
The statement was issued by the APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mohamed Pope Kamara, who said the party had a responsibility to correct information that could damage its image and reputation.
Responding specifically to the claim that $200,000 had been disbursed to the APC leadership in Bombali, with Makeni serving as the operational headquarters, Mohamed Pope Kamara said he personally contacted several senior party officials to establish whether the alleged transaction had taken place.
He said he contacted the APC National Chairman, National Secretary General, Regional Chairman and Bombali District Chairman, all of whom, according to him, “categorically and unanimously” denied having any knowledge of such a transaction or its alleged beneficiaries.
“At this point, the APC has not received any such financial contribution from Mr Kamara,” Mohamed Pope Kamara stated.
He also clarified the circumstances surrounding the $80,000 mentioned in the allegations, explaining that the money was used to facilitate the printing process. He added that other prospective flagbearers had also contributed towards the initiative.
According to him, the party appreciates the contributions made by prospective flagbearers in support of its activities, while maintaining that such contributions should not be misrepresented.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary further stressed that the APC’s clarification was not intended to undermine any individual aspiring for the party’s flagbearership, but rather to protect the credibility and reputation of the party.
He said the APC had won elections before Mr Kamara emerged on the political scene, rejecting any suggestion that the party’s electoral successes could be attributed solely to the recent activities or contributions of individual aspirants.
The statement comes at a time when political activities within the APC are intensifying, with several prospective flagbearers engaging party supporters and positioning themselves ahead of the party’s eventual flagbearer selection process.
The dispute over the alleged $200,000 contribution adds to the growing political exchanges among stakeholders as the APC prepares for the next phase of its internal political activities.
The party’s Publicity Secretariat maintained that it would continue to respond to claims it considers inaccurate, particularly where such statements have the potential to create public misunderstanding or damage the reputation of the APC.
While acknowledging the contributions of prospective flagbearers to the party’s activities, the Secretariat reiterated that no $200,000 contribution from Mohamed Omodu Kamara had been received by the APC, according to the officials contacted by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary.