The All Peoples Congress (APC) Party wishes to inform you all of an ongoing stalemate in the work of the Tripartite Committee since a week ago.

This impasse is primarily due to the refusal of the SLPP Government representatives at the Committee to continue discussions with our APC counterparts on the verification of the results as announced by ECSL, including the release of disaggregated votes by polling station, despite our Party’s willingness to adhere to the Terms of Reference and the signed Agreement on National Unity.

You will recall that the APC, outrightly rejected the 24th June, 2023 multi-tier elections results but chose to participate in the October 2023 internationally mediated cross-Party dialogue held at the Bintumani Hotel. This was a bid to foster peace, national cohesion, and to seek an amicable resolution to the then political impasse.

Regrettably, the SLPP Government has reneged on its promises to take the necessary steps to ensure the full implementation of the National Unity Agreement. Furthermore, the Government has also aided and abetted the refusal by ECSL to release vital data and information needed by the committee to be able to examine the final outcome of the June 24th, 2023 elections, including the 60% announced results.

The APC has to date, honored all its commitments, including a return to governance, submission of a list of politically motivated cases, issuance of a joint statement with the SLPP Government denouncing hate speech, and active participation in the ongoing inter-party dialogue initially convened by the PPRC.

More importantly, the APC has participated in good faith in the Tripartite Committee, working tirelessly to ensure electoral reforms, institutional reform, accountability and electoral justice for individuals and institutions undermining the democratic process, as outlined in the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Tripartite Committee.

The Terms of Reference explicitly state, under Section 4(ii), that the Committee shall “Request access to all relevant documents, records, and information necessary for the conduct of its examination.”

This mandate unequivocally empowers the Committee to demand all pertinent documentations from the ECSL and all other EMBS to ensure a comprehensive review.

However, despite our best efforts and interventions from development partners and friends of Sierra Leone, the ECSL has continued to obstruct the process by failing to produce the requested documents. The APC party would like to reiterate that demanding the ECSL Commissioners to release the polling station-level results, backed by Results Reconciliation Forms (RRFS) to substantiate their announced figures, is critical to this review process.

Section 92 of the Public Elections Act, 2022, explicitly requires the release of “summary of all statements of the results from the polling stations.” Furthermore, the APC acknowledges the relevance of Section 2(1) of the Right to Access Information Act, 2013. These legal obligations compel both ECSL and the SLPP Government to adhere to the Agreement’s terms and to provide transparency and accountability in the election results.

Given the SLPP’s refusal to engage in further discussions and provide the necessary documentation, the APC has no choice but to officially suspend its participation in the Tripartite Committee until the ECSL produces the necessary information for the Committee to conclude its findings and recommendations. We recognize the hardships and distress caused by the fraudulent elections, compounded by the deteriorating living conditions in the country. We urge our supporters and the public at large to remain calm as we continue to pursue electoral reforms and justice.

Democracy adheres to internationally accepted standards, including the freedom for voters to elect the candidate of their choice. Therefore, as a political party, the APC cannot accept anything less.

This decision, though painful, is taken with the hope of invoking the support of our development partners, to whom we are very grateful for their continued support. The APC Party will continue to monitor the situation closely and will keep the public and development partners informed of further developments as they unfold.