APC Convenes Local Council Leaders to Review Party’s Governance Boycott

The leadership of the All People’s Congress (APC) on Thursday convened a high-level consultative meeting with elected local council officials at the party’s National Secretariat on Railway Line in Brookfields, Freetown, as part of ongoing internal discussions on the party’s position regarding participation in governance.

The meeting comes a day after the party held a similar engagement with its Members of Parliament, as the opposition continues to maintain what it describes as a “withdrawal from governance” stance in protest over concerns relating to electoral reforms and the appointment of the country’s Chief Electoral Commissioner of Sierra Leone.

According to party insiders, Thursday’s session was aimed at bringing together elected local council officials under the APC to harmonize the party’s strategy amid the ongoing political standoff with the government.

The APC has argued that its position is intended to register dissatisfaction with what it describes as unresolved electoral issues, including concerns surrounding reforms and the leadership of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone.

However, the prolonged stalemate is beginning to raise concerns about the operational impact on local governance. The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs has warned that several councils led by APC officials risk becoming inoperable if the situation continues.

Officials point to practical challenges already emerging within local administrations. At the Freetown City Council, sources say the lack of political approval linked to the party’s stance has made it difficult to access funding needed for key services, including waste management and other municipal operations.

Thursday’s meeting is therefore seen as a crucial step in determining the party’s next course of action. While some within the APC leadership are reportedly advocating for a continued and total boycott of governance structures as a means of sustaining pressure over electoral concerns, others are said to favor a more pragmatic approach that would allow elected officials to continue delivering services to their constituents.

Party officials are expected to use the consultations with both Members of Parliament and local council leaders to reach a unified position that will guide the APC’s engagement with state institutions going forward.

Political observers say the outcome of the discussions could shape the direction of opposition politics in Sierra Leone and determine how local councils operate in the coming months.