APC Hits The Nail

By Catherine Dumbuya

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (Jan. 28, 2025) —

The opposition All People’s Congress (APC) on Wednesday issued a strong warning against what it described as attempts to undermine constitutional governance, electoral reform and the credibility of the national census, vowing to resist any process that violates democratic principles.

Speaking at the APC’s monthly press conference at the party’s headquarters, National Secretary General, Lansana Dumbuya Esq. said the party would not accept the creation of any new position or arrangement that weakens its constitutional role in serving both the government and the people of Sierra Leone.

“We will not cross any red line, and we will not allow our constitutional boundaries to be violated,” Dumbuya said. “We reject all forms of political manipulation and will not comply with decisions or processes that fall short of full credibility and fairness.”

Dumbuya expressed concern over the absence of key government officials, including the chairman of the census committee and the Chief Minister, from critical engagements, describing the pattern as a serious governance lapse that raises questions about transparency and accountability.

He warned that the APC would not accept partial compliance, distorted figures or intimidation aimed at silencing legitimate concerns, stressing that the party would pursue all lawful means, including legal action, to defend the will of the people.

“This is not about tribalism or regionalism,” he said. “It is about national interest. What is unfolding risks deepening division and does a disservice to the nation. Sierra Leone deserves better.”

APC Parliamentary Spokesperson, Hon. Dr. Unpha Sorie Koroma, used the occasion to highlight what he described as fundamental flaws in the census process.

Koroma explained that a census goes beyond counting people to include schools, farms, businesses and critical infrastructure, making credible data essential for national development planning and policy formulation.

He said international best practice requires a pilot census before the main exercise, but noted that Sierra Leone’s pilot census was inadequately conducted, citing the exclusion of the North-West Region without explanation.

Koroma further criticized the sequencing of census preparations, particularly cartographic mapping, saying key stages were rushed or omitted, raising serious concerns about preparedness and transparency.

He recalled that the APC did not participate in the disputed 2021 Mid-Term Census, which he said was also rejected by international partners who withheld funding over credibility concerns. He added that the 2021 census data were not relied upon by the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone during the last elections.

“This raises a critical question,” Koroma said. “What data will guide the 2026 census?”

He rejected reports that the disputed 2021 census figures would be used as the basis for the next census, insisting that the legally recognized 2015 decennial census should serve as the foundation.

Also speaking at the press conference, Kaifala Marah said recent developments surrounding the electoral reform process have raised doubts about the sincerity of the government.

Marah said that from a certain point, the All people’s Congress (APC) and the wider public began to understand that the entire reform process was vulnerable to manipulation.

While acknowledging positive elements of the reforms—including campaign financing opportunities, alignment with international voting standards, diaspora participation and freer elections—he warned that selective implementation of accepted recommendations undermines democracy and weakens government credibility.

“These are good developments,” Marah said. “But when accepted recommendations are mishandled or deliberately manipulated, democracy suffers.”

He urged party members to remain united and reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to peace, justice and the rule of law, while calling on authorities to honor past reform commitments in the interest of national unity and democratic progress.