PPRC Ruling Clears Sam-Sumana to Contest APC Flagbearer Race

Former Vice President Alhaji Chief Samuel Sam-Sumana has received official confirmation from the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) affirming that he has been a continuous member of the All People’s Congress (APC) since his readmission into the party on 8 September 2020.

In its ruling, the PPRC stated that a letter issued in 2020 by the APC’s then Secretary General requiring additional endorsement to validate Sam-Sumana’s membership was introduced in bad faith and is therefore invalid. As a result, the Commission ruled that Sam-Sumana’s membership remains effective from 2020.

The PPRC has consequently directed the APC National Secretary General to withdraw the membership card issued to Sam-Sumana in 2023 and reissue a new one reflecting his 2020 readmission date within 14 days.

The Commission further reaffirmed that Sam-Sumana’s expulsion from the APC in 2014 was conclusively addressed by the Supreme Court and cannot be revisited. While acknowledging that the APC’s constitutional requirement of five consecutive years of party membership for presidential aspirants is lawful, the PPRC clarified that Sam-Sumana satisfies this condition based on his uninterrupted membership since 2020.

Additionally, the PPRC criticised the APC’s Interim Transitional Governance Committee (ITGC) for acting in bad faith by disqualifying Sam-Sumana from the party’s 2023 flagbearer race without formally communicating its decision.

The Commission also faulted the party for permitting another aspirant who had previously contested under a different political party to participate in the same race.

The APC’s Disciplinary and Grievance Handling Committee (DGHC) was equally criticised for wrongly claiming it lacked jurisdiction to entertain Sam-Sumana’s complaint in 2025.

The ruling effectively clears the way for Sam-Sumana to contest for the APC’s flagbearer position, having completed five consecutive years of party membership from September 2020 to December 2025, as required under Article 56(b) of the APC Constitution.

The PPRC noted that while the provision is restrictive, it is neither discriminatory nor unconstitutional.

The decision secures Sam-Sumana’s standing within the party and revives his bid for the APC leadership, while also serving as a reminder to political parties on the importance of fairness, transparency, and due process in internal governance as Sierra Leone approaches future elections.

Meanwhile, a reliable source has confirmed to Truth Media that the APC National Advisory Committee (NAC) is scheduled to meet tomorrow to authorise the party’s official response to the PPRC ruling.