A crucial ruling by the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has paved the way for former Vice President Alhaji Chief Samuel Sam-Sumana to contest for the All People’s Congress (APC) flagbearer position in the upcoming elections.

The PPRC’s decision affirms that Sam-Sumana has met the necessary constitutional requirements to run for the leadership of the APC, following the confirmation of his uninterrupted membership in the party.

In a statement released today, the PPRC clarified that Sam-Sumana has been a continuous and legitimate member of the APC since his readmission in 2020.

The Commission emphasized that his membership had been validly restored during a National Advisory Committee (NAC) meeting on September 8, 2020, which was conducted under emergency provisions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NAC, acting as the National Delegates Conference (NDC), unanimously agreed to reinstate him into the party.

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The PPRC ruling rejected attempts to invalidate his readmission by suggesting it was tied to a later endorsement by the NDC, dismissing these claims as improper and made in bad faith. It also directed the APC to update Sam-Sumana’s membership card to reflect his 2020 readmission, rather than the 2023 date that had been mistakenly listed.

While the PPRC acknowledged that Sam-Sumana’s expulsion from the APC in 2014 had been upheld by the Supreme Court in 2015, the ruling made it clear that the matter was now closed. The focus, according to the Commission, is on his legitimate membership status after his readmission in 2020.

This restored status means that Sam-Sumana has now completed the required five consecutive years of continuous membership with the APC, a crucial condition for qualifying as a candidate for the party’s flagbearer position.

The PPRC also weighed in on the broader constitutional context, affirming that the APC’s internal rule requiring five years of continuous membership to run for flagbearer, as stipulated in Article 56(b) of the party’s constitution, does not violate Sierra Leone’s 1991 Constitution. The Commission, however, urged the APC to seek legal advice regarding the retroactive application of the rule.

In its ruling, the PPRC expressed concern over the APC’s Interim Transitional Governance Committee (ITGC), which had disqualified Sam-Sumana from the 2023 flagbearer race. The Commission found that the ITGC had acted in bad faith by failing to directly inform Sam-Sumana of the disqualification or provide any reasons for the decision, especially when another candidate, who had previously contested under a different political party, was allowed to remain in the race.

The PPRC also criticized the party’s Disciplinary and Grievance Handling Committee (DGHC) for incorrectly claiming it lacked jurisdiction to hear Sam-Sumana’s 2025 complaint regarding his disqualification.

For the APC, the PPRC’s ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of fairness, transparency, and accountability in managing internal party affairs, particularly as Sierra Leone prepares for its next high-stakes electoral cycle.

A reliable source has confirmed to Truth Media that the APC’s National Advisory Committee (NAC) will meet tomorrow to discuss the party’s official response to the PPRC ruling.