The meeting had in attendance Sierra Leone’s president, the secretary-general of the ruling party, party ambassador Osman Yansaneh, and many others. Though many received the news with wild shock, the party is yet to reveal reasons why Sam-Sumana was axed. One of the qualifications set by the 1991 Sierra Leone Constitution is that the President and Vice President both must belong to a political party in order to take up an office. However, the constitution does not make any provisions for what should happen if the President or Vice President cease to be members of a political party. Back then it was reported that the government was negotiating with an unidentified man of Kono ancestry to replace Samuel as the president’s running mate. Though the vice president wasn’t removed in the long run, his official role and power kept diminishing nationally. Despite his banishment from the ruling party, Samuel still retains his position as the vice president of the country. Meanwhile, BuzzGhana has gathered that the vice president was fired from the APC for allegedly instigating violence, trying to establish a factional party in his home district of Kono, and giving false information about his Master’s degree certificate. While president Ernest Bai Koroma is yet to throw more light on this development, Sam-Sumana has denied the allegations, insisting that his political enemies are after him to tarnish his image and reputation in the country. Mr. Samuel was residing in the United States of America prior to the time he was elected as Sierra Leone’s vice president in 2007. For some time, the breakdown of Koroma’s relationship with his vice has been an open secret. In fact, the tussle between the number one and his deputy has continued to raise fear about the country’s stability. With regards to a vacancy in the Presidency or Vice Presidency, the terms are spelled out in Articles 50 and 51 and read: A President or Vice President may be removed from office if deemed mentally or physically incapacitated, or for misconduct as determined by a parliamentary tribunal and voted on by two thirds of the parliament. Samuel’s dismissal from the ruling party comes hot on the heels on his decision to subject himself to a voluntary quarantine. The vice president’s decision to do so comes after one of his aides died of the Ebola virus. This move makes him the first senior officer to willingly subject himself to Ebola quarantine. Born Alhaji Samuel Sidique Sam-Sumana on April 7, 1962, in Koidu Town, Kono District, in Sierra Leone, Samuel was sworn in as Sierra Leone’s Vice President on September 17, 2007. A devout Muslim, he is the 4th son of Sahr Samuel Sam-Sumana (a prominent Kono Chief and former member of the All People’s Congress party) and Haja Sia Hawa Sam-Sumana. Sam-Samana had his primary school education at Koidu Primary school, in Koidu town, from where he moved to the Jaiama Muslim Secondary School in Jaiama, for his secondary school education. He also studied at the prestigious Ahmadiyya Muslim secondary school in Freetown. Upon the completion of his secondary school education, he enrolled at the Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis – Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, where he studied management information systems. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSC) from the university. Read also: OMG! Sierra Leone VP Quarantined for Ebola Sidique also holds a diploma in diamond rough grading, sorting and polishing, which he obtained from the America Institution of Diamond Cutting and Polishing, in Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States. He also earned a diploma in computer network support from Knollwood Computer and Business School in St Louis Park, Minnesota. He previously worked as a systems officer for the Prudential Financial Group, in the United States and as a network support specialist for Allina Health in the US. The Koidu-born politician is married to Khadija Sam-Sumana.
