By Sulaiman Jalloh
The main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) has, on Wednesday, 31st July, 2024, launched its membership registration and verification drive at the party headquarters in Brookfields, Freetown.
The said membership registration and verification exercise aims to address the lingering membership issues in the APC database, and the temporary registration conducted by the Interim Transitional Governance Committee (ITGC), prior to the 2023 general elections.
Speaking during the launch, the National Chairman of the APC, Hon. Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray, urged members and supporters to participate in the process, pointing out that registered members stand to benefit from privileges and opportunities that the party provides. The seasoned politician noted that his party has been dormant over the few years, but expressed hope that that the recommencement of the registration and verification exercise will reinvigorate the political party. According to the Chairman, APC is “an organic institution that has the potential to grow naturally and exponentially.” He called on supporters to register and encouraged members to verify their personal details, stressing that the APC is surely going to form the next government, come 2028.
The Parliamentary Public Relations of the APC, Hon. Unpha Sorie Gbassay Koroma, who served as Chairman of the occasion, said the launching was necessary and that it coincided with the party’s monthly parliamentary press briefing.
The National Secretary General of APC, Lansana Dumbuya Esq. expressed thanks and appreciation to the national executive, especially the National Chairman, Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray for holding the party together during what he considered a difficult period when the party is in opposition. He furthered that the registration process is geared towards enhancing new strategies and regularizing the party activities. “We had wanted to do the registration just after the National Delegates Conference (NDC), but could not because the election was more important than the registration process despite it did not go as planned,” the National Secretary General stated. Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya also called on party supporters to register, stressing that the process will be open to everyone as it is the right of every Sierra Leonean to become a member of the APC, pointing out that most people are fighting for the party but do not have membership cards.
On his part, the Deputy National Secretary, Hon. Osman Abdal Timbo, explained the process of the registration, citing Article 9 of the party’s Constitution. He furthered that there are three different processes involved in the registration exercise, one, he said, is the verification of the executive, something he said, will enable the party to get to a comprehensive database of its executive, adding that that process will last for ninety days after inception, and according to him, the system will not be compromised. Two, he furthered, is the verification of existing members which was scheduled to take place between 31st July, 2024 and 31st July,2025; and three, he said, is the registration of new members who have reached the age of consent, 18 and above. Hon. Timbo noted that intending members can apply through their chiefdoms, districts and regions they reside, including the national secretariat.
According to the lawmaker, there are four classes of memberships which are honorary, patron, ordinary and associate memberships.
The Regional Chairman of the Western Area, Kasho J. Holland-Cole assured the APC party leadership of his full participation in the membership registration verification exercise, particularly, in his region.
