Former Councillors Seek Greater Role in APC Grassroots and Election Structures
A group representing former APC councillors is calling for a stronger institutional role within the party, citing grassroots experience and election-monitoring work as reasons for greater coordination.
Councillor Sheka Lamin Dumbuya, identified as national chairman and coordinator of the Council of Former Councillors in Sierra Leone, said the proposed structure would help reconnect former councillors with the party’s grassroots operations.
Dumbuya said former councillors who contested local elections across the country could provide practical knowledge about developments at community level and contribute to the party’s understanding of electoral disputes.
He said some former councillors had served as election observers and could provide firsthand accounts and supporting evidence concerning disputed results.
The APC’s 2022 constitution already provides for a Former APC Councillors Group. Article 41 states that the group consists of former APC councillors who remain party members and should contribute their knowledge to the party in their constituencies. The article also provides for the group to elect delegates to the National Delegates Conference.
Article 16 separately provides for 10 former APC councillors to serve as delegates to the National Delegates Conference.
The proposal has a history within the party’s constitutional discussions. A Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) ruling on objections to the APC constitution recorded that former councillors had sought recognition and representation in the party’s structures. The ruling also noted that a proposal concerning representation for former councillors had been presented by Dumbuya at an emergency National Delegates Conference and rejected by delegates at the time.
Dumbuya said the council’s grassroots presence could become particularly relevant during elections because former councillors have experience working directly with voters and local communities.
He also urged APC members to accept the outcome of the party’s upcoming internal election, regardless of which candidate they support.
Dumbuya said candidates should encourage their supporters to respect the result if they lose, while the successful candidate should work to bring supporters of competing candidates together.
He described competition among several candidates as a normal feature of democratic politics but cautioned against allowing rival campaigns to create lasting divisions within the party.
He further called for the internal election process to be conducted without favouritism and urged party members to focus on maintaining unity after the vote.
The comments place the proposed council within a broader discussion about how the APC can use the experience of former local elected officials while strengthening its grassroots organisation ahead of future elections.