By Boycotting… APC Strengthens SLPP Dominance

By Rahman

The growing perception that Sierra Leone is drifting toward a de facto one-party system is no longer just political rhetoric, it is becoming a dangerous national sentiment, driven largely by the continued absence and weakness of the opposition, particularly the All People’s Congress.

Recent developments show a worrying trajectory. The APC’s withdrawal from governance structures: Parliament, Local Councils, and National processes has created a vacuum that is now being filled almost entirely by the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party. Analysts warn that when the main opposition steps away, the system does not pause, it continues, but without scrutiny, without challenge, and without balance.

This is where the danger lies.

Democracy is not defined by elections alone; it survives on active opposition, accountability, and institutional tension. Reports on Sierra Leone’s democratic health consistently emphasise the central role political parties play in ensuring representation and holding government accountable.  When that role collapses or is abandoned, governance becomes lopsided, and power begins to concentrate.

The current situation is feeding public frustration. Many citizens are beginning to interpret the silence or absence of the opposition as weakness or worse, complicity. In political reality, perception is everything. When people no longer see resistance, they begin to believe there is none.

This perception is not without historical warning. Sierra Leone has experienced a one-party state before under the APC in 1978, when opposition voices were effectively eliminated and democratic space was closed.  That period remains a stark reminder of how quickly political dominance can evolve into authoritarian control when checks and balances disappear.

Today, the concern is not about a legal declaration of a one-party state, but a practical one, where one party dominates all arms of governance simply because the opposition is absent, divided, or ineffective.

The APC therefore faces a defining moment. As the country’s main opposition force since 2018, its responsibility goes beyond internal politics or protest strategies.  It carries the burden of defending democratic space, representing dissenting voices, and challenging government actions through lawful and institutional means.

Boycotts and withdrawals may send political messages, but they also carry consequences. By stepping away, the APC risks handing over the entire governance architecture: Parliament, Local Councils, and National discourse without resistance to the ruling party. That, in effect, strengthens the very dominance it claims to oppose.

At the same time, criticism is not one-sided. The government must also recognise that democracy thrives on inclusion, dialogue, and trust. Post-election tensions, disputes over electoral credibility, and controversial appointments have already weakened confidence in public institutions.  Ignoring opposition concerns only deepens division and reinforces fears of political exclusion.

The reality is blunt: Sierra Leone cannot afford a hollow democracy. If the APC stays out, governance becomes unchallenged. If the government governs without accommodating dissent, legitimacy erodes. If both continue on this path, the country edges closer to democratic backsliding.

It is no longer just politics; it is about the future of pluralism in Sierra Leone.