Blyden Challenges Ady Macauley on Alleged SLPP Funds, Criminal Case

Blyden Challenges Ady Macauley on Alleged SLPP Funds, Criminal Case

Former cabinet minister and prominent All People’s Congress (APC) member, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, has issued a public demand to fellow APC flagbearer aspirant Ady Macauley Esq to address serious allegations concerning an alleged financial payment from the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government and the current status of a reported 2022 criminal case file.

In a statement released on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, Dr. Blyden formally requested that Mr. Macauley make a public clarification, specifically on AYV television, regarding claims that he received a substantial payment described by her as "hundreds of millions of leones" from President Julius Maada Bio’s government, purportedly as a severance package.

Dr. Blyden questioned the lack of public disclosure surrounding this alleged payment, contrasting it with the SLPP government's previous practice of publicly announcing payments to other individuals. She asserted that the absence of an official announcement necessitates a transparent public explanation.

Furthermore, she alleged that several APC figures were compromised ahead of the 2023 elections, claiming that some were remunerated while others were subjected to pressure from outstanding legal issues. While characterizing the situation as a coordinated betrayal, Dr. Blyden stated that responsibility for specific actions remains unclear.

A key part of Dr. Blyden’s challenge is her demand for Mr. Macauley to clarify the status of a reported 2022 criminal case file held at the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, which she identified as an alleged criminal incitement matter. She questioned whether the case was formally discontinued, indefinitely delayed, or potentially utilized as leverage in the lead-up to the 2023 elections.

Dr. Blyden argued that transparency on both the alleged payment and the legal matter is essential to resolving persistent internal divisions and clarifying events within the APC related to the 2023 electoral process.

Concluding her statement, Dr. Blyden emphasized her own transparency regarding engagements across party lines and criticized what she termed a lack of honesty among certain political actors. She urged a distinction between those who operate transparently and those who allegedly conceal their activities.

As of the time of publication, Ady Macauley has not issued a public response to the allegations, nor has the SLPP government released an official statement regarding the claims.