APC Withdraws from Parliament and Council Demands Removal of Edmond Alpha

The All People’s Congress (APC) has announced the withdrawal of its elected officials from Parliament and Local Councils nationwide, stating that it will not resume participation until Edmond Sylvester Alpha vacates office as Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL).

In a press statement issued on 3 March 2026 and signed by the party’s National Secretary-General, Lansana Dumbuya, the APC disclosed that its leadership and Negotiating Team had attended a meeting convened by the National Peace and Cohesion Commission at Brookfields Hotel in Freetown. The meeting was also attended by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, representatives of ECOWAS, as well as other international and development partners.

According to the statement, the meeting was convened to review the implementation status of the Tripartite Committee Recommendations arising from the Agreement for National Unity.

The APC accused the Government of persistently disregarding agreed electoral reforms, arguing that the appointment of Alpha contradicts the spirit, intent, and sequencing of the Tripartite reform commitments.

The party further contended that Alpha is widely associated with the disputed 2023 electoral process, asserting that his appointment undermines public confidence in the Electoral Commission and threatens the credibility of future elections.

“As a result,” the statement read, “the APC has firmly restated its decision to withdraw the participation of its elected officials from Parliament and Local Councils until such time as Mr. Edmond Sylvester Alpha vacates the office of Chief Electoral Commissioner.”

The APC emphasized that its decision is not motivated by partisan considerations but by what it described as a principled commitment to electoral integrity, constitutional governance, and democratic legitimacy.

Despite its withdrawal, the party maintained that it remains open to constructive re-engagement in the governance process once meaningful steps are taken to restore public confidence in the electoral reform agenda and fully implement the commitments contained in the Agreement for National Unity.

The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of the APC’s commitment to peaceful, lawful, and democratic means in defending what it described as the sovereign will of the people of Sierra Leone.