Hon Mansaray Warns Against Creating Division In APC

By Abdul Rahman Bah

Deputy Parliamentary Spokesperson of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hon. Alpha Ben Mansaray, has cautioned against giving excessive attention to the ongoing political excitement surrounding the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) and its research into the popularity of potential political candidates within the party, arguing that such activities could create unnecessary divisions at a time when the party should be concentrating on more pressing political responsibilities.

Speaking during an interview, Hon Mansaray maintained that although the IGR’s activities have generated considerable political discussion within the APC, he believes the party should not allow the issue to overshadow other important electoral and organisational matters, particularly the lower-level elections that are still ongoing.

According to him, the timing of the research is questionable, as the party has not yet completed its internal electoral processes. He argued that conducting research that identifies certain individuals as the most preferred candidates at this stage could create political tensions and potentially undermine unity within the party.

Mansaray was careful to distinguish his position from any attempt to question the popularity or political standing of individual aspirants. He emphasised that his concern was primarily about the timing, purpose and possible consequences of such research rather than the popularity of any particular candidate.

“I am not here to question the popularity of any candidate. My point is that, within the APC, it is too early for the IGR to be conducting such research,” he stated.

He further warned that declaring particular candidates as the most preferred could create an atmosphere of competition, suspicion and disagreement among party supporters, particularly when the party has not formally reached the stage of selecting its candidates for future political contests.

“Giving a determination that certain candidates are the most preferred is a recipe for injecting a vector of chaos into our political party,” Mansaray said, adding that he disagreed with the institute’s disclaimer because, in his view, the IGR is not a political institution.

His comments raise broader questions about the relationship between independent research institutions, political organisations and the growing influence of public opinion surveys in determining political preferences and leadership ambitions.

While opinion polls can provide useful insights into public sentiment, their credibility largely depends on methodological transparency, independence, impartiality and the extent to which their findings are properly understood by the public. Within political parties, however, premature declarations of preferred candidates can potentially intensify internal rivalries, especially where leadership succession and flag-bearer ambitions are concerned.

Mansaray’s position also highlights the importance of allowing political parties to complete their internal democratic processes without external activities being perceived as influencing the direction of their leadership choices.

Nevertheless, the debate presents an important challenge for the APC: how to accommodate independent research and public opinion while safeguarding internal democracy, political stability and party cohesion.

Ultimately, the strength of any political party should not be measured solely by the popularity of individuals seeking leadership positions, but also by its ability to maintain internal discipline, respect democratic procedures and provide a credible platform for national leadership.