APC Boycotts All Govt Activities
The recommendations of the Tripartite Committee are far too critical to be dismissed or treated loosely by the GoSL, Dr. Sylvia Blyden and the coalition of civil society and human rights activist Sierra Leone ( CCSHRA-SL).
These groups argue that because the Tripartite recommendations were not laid before Parliament for ratification after the final report was presented to the President, they lack legal enforcement power.
While they may be relying on a narrow constitutional technicality, they overlook a vital reality. These recommendations carry immense diplomatic weight. The consistent involvement of international MORAL GUARANTORS throughout the peace dialogue and the formation of the Tripartite Committee prove that ignoring these findings undermines the spirit of national unity and electoral reform.
In their position statements, the CCSHRA-SL further contends that without Parliamentary ratification, the agreement remains a mere “gentleman’s agreement,”. They suggest that the implementation of the 80+4 recommendations is left entirely to President Julius Maada Bio’s discretion.
Specifically, they argued that Edmund Alpha must remain as the head of the ECSL, claiming that the tripartite committee’s recommendations cannot supersede the 1991 constitution, which grants the President the power to appoint Commissioners.
However, using these technicalities to bypass the recommendations suggests that President Julius Madda Bio and the SLPP are undermining the international community, which intervened to mediate the BOYCOTT following the disputed June 2023 elections. A core component of that agreement was to examine, review and investigate the 2023 election results while reforming the electoral system to safeguard democratic integrity. Consequently, the recommendations must be actionable, not optional.
To protect democratic principles, the National Secretary General of the APC, Lansana Dumbuya Esq, has released a press statement informing the general membership, the public, and the international community of a unified party stance.
APC Parliamentary representatives and elected local officials currently serving under the Bio administration have reconfirmed their commitment to the party. They have unanimously endorsed the leadership’s decision to withdraw from all government activities until Edmund Alpha is removed and a clear, actionable path toward the full implementation of the tripartite recommendations is established.
The SLPP government must not be allowed to shield Edmund Alpha behind the excuse of a lack of parliamentary ratification. With a united APC, democracy will survive in Sierra Leone
