The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has issued a series of directives to the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) aimed at promoting transparency, fairness and compliance with electoral laws during the party’s ongoing internal elections.
The directives, issued on Thursday, 9 July 2026, followed complaints submitted by an APC member, Hon. Osman Abdal Timbo, Esq., who sought the Commission’s intervention regarding the treatment of unopposed candidates and the conduct of the party’s internal elections.
According to the Commission, it received a letter dated 10 June 2026, addressed to the National Coordinator of the APC’s Internal Elections Management Committee (IEMC), requesting guidance on the handling of unopposed candidates. A subsequent letter dated 3 July 2026 formally requested the Commission’s intervention in the conduct of elections for uncontested positions.
The Commission said it held a hearing on 9 July 2026, during which it listened to submissions from Hon. Osman Timbo, the APC National Secretariat, including the National Secretary General and representatives of the Internal Elections Management Committee.
Following the hearing, the PPRC observed that while the APC Constitution (2022) does not expressly provide for the publication of candidates’ lists or the treatment of unopposed candidates, relevant provisions of the Constitution of Sierra Leone (1991) and the Public Elections Act (2022) offer guidance on the issues.
Consequently, the Commission directed the APC Secretariat to compile and publish complete candidates’ lists for all pending constituency elections nationwide within 72 hours of the directive. It stressed that the publication must not be limited to electronic platforms but should also be physically displayed at all APC district offices across the country to ensure members have access to the information. The Secretariat was further instructed to provide the candidates’ lists to the Internal Elections Management Committee on the same day they are published.
The PPRC also ruled that any candidate who is the sole nominee for a position should be publicly declared by the IEMC as duly elected, eliminating the need for a vote in uncontested races.
In addition, the Commission directed the IEMC not to conduct elections for positions where only one candidate has been nominated and to suspend constituency elections in any constituency where petitions or disputes relating to any ward remain unresolved.
Looking ahead, the Commission instructed the APC Secretariat to publish candidates’ and delegates’ lists for all future lower-level elections, excluding the current pending constituency elections, at least seven days before the respective elections are held.
The PPRC stated that the directives are intended to strengthen transparency, improve confidence in the APC’s internal democratic processes and ensure compliance with the country’s electoral laws and best practices.
