By Josephine Sesay

Alhaji Osman Foday Yansaneh, APC Interim Chairman

Emmanuel Koivaya Amara, PPRC Chairman

Hon Osman Abdul Timbo

The Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has directed the All People’s Congress (APC) to publish the complete lists of candidates contesting the party’s constituency elections within 72 hours, following a complaint lodged by APC member Hon. Osman Abdul Timbo regarding the party’s internal electoral process.

According to the Commission’s directive, the APC Secretariat must publish the candidate lists both electronically and manually at all district party offices nationwide within the stipulated period. The Commission said the measure is intended to enhance transparency and ensure that party members have access to the information.

The PPRC further ruled that any candidate who remains unopposed at the close of nominations shall be deemed duly elected, and no election shall be conducted for that particular position.

Additionally, the Commission ordered that no constituency election should be held in any area where ward-level petitions or related disputes remain unresolved. It emphasized that all outstanding complaints must first be addressed through the party’s established dispute resolution mechanisms before elections can proceed.

To strengthen transparency in future internal party elections, the Commission also directed the APC Secretariat to publish both candidate and delegate lists at least seven days before the scheduled date of any lower-level party election. According to the Commission, this measure will promote openness, allow for adequate scrutiny of the electoral process and help minimize disputes.

Although the APC Constitution does not expressly require the publication of candidate lists or provide for the declaration of unopposed candidates, the PPRC stated that its decision was guided by the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991, and the Public Elections Act, 2022. The Commission noted that these legal instruments empower it to ensure that political parties conduct their affairs in accordance with democratic principles and the rule of law.

The Commission’s directives are expected to influence the conduct of the APC’s ongoing internal elections as the party continues preparations for its constituency polls.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 13th July 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)