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The All People’s Congress (APC) has formally rejected responsibility for paying a fine imposed by the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) over remarks made by party member and entertainer Zainab Sheriff, insisting that her statements were not made under the authority or supervision of the party.
Speaking during a recent media engagement, APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Sidi Yayah Tunis said the party would not remit the fine, stressing that the comments attributed to Zainab Sheriff were not delivered at an official APC event and were not made in the presence of party leadership.
“Whatever Zainab may have said and PPRC wants APC to take responsibility for, it was not in our presence,” Tunis stated. “We will not pay for Zainab Sheriff.”
Tunis drew a clear distinction between the circumstances surrounding remarks made by APC Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya and those attributed to Zainab Sheriff.
According to him, the Secretary General’s statements were made during an officially sanctioned APC programme with senior party officials in attendance, making the party accountable under existing political regulations.
By contrast, Tunis explained that Zainab Sheriff was not an official invitee to the programme in question, and that no APC leadership members were present when she made the remarks for which the PPRC later imposed sanctions.
“The Secretary General spoke at a recognized APC programme with the leadership present,” Tunis said during the interview. “But Zainab Sheriff was not officially invited, and her statements were made without the presence of party officials.”
The clarification follows a decision by the PPRC to fine the APC over what it described as profane and provocative statements made during a major party rally at Attouga Mini Stadium. The rally reportedly featured remarks from both the Secretary General and Zainab Sheriff, prompting regulatory action by the commission.
Zainab Sheriff has since publicly rejected the fine and has previously stated that she would take legal action if the APC attempted to pay the penalty on her behalf.
The APC’s position reflects its broader argument that political parties should only be held accountable for statements made within officially recognized events and structures. The party’s leadership says the current issue highlights ongoing disagreements between the APC and the PPRC over how political conduct is regulated and enforced.
For now, the APC maintains that it bears no responsibility for Zainab Sheriff’s remarks and insists it will not pay the fine imposed by the PPRC in relation to her statements.
