Former All People’s Congress (APC) presidential candidate Dr. Samura Kamara has issued a firm response to a letter from the APC’s National Secretary General (NSG) regarding a request for him to surrender his office keys at the party’s headquarters.

In a letter dated November 5, 2024, Kamara criticized the NSG’s letter for what he describes as a lack of engagement with the “critical issues” concerning the party’s trajectory and transition, which Kamara says he originally raised in correspondence on October 28.

Kamara’s response highlighted his disappointment over the NSG’s failure to address what he views as pressing matters for the APC, instead focusing solely on logistical issues around vacating his office. He contends that the request trivializes larger challenges the party faces, including electoral justice following the contested June 24, 2023, multi-tier elections. “To place an office and key issue above the fight for electoral justice…and the implementation of the Tripartite Committee’s report…seems rather baffling to me,” he wrote.

Kamara clarified that his role as flagbearer and presidential candidate remains active as he pursues “electoral justice” in response to the APC’s contested electoral defeat. According to the Election Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), the APC won 17.15% of the vote, a result the party has since disputed, questioning the transparency and legitimacy of the election process. Kamara, who led the party in challenging the results, insists that his mandate as party leader and candidate persists until the issue is resolved or until the party holds its next National Delegates Conference.

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Reaffirming his dedication to the APC, Kamara emphasized the importance of remaining committed to the party’s supporters. He pointed out that his role goes beyond merely occupying an office, stressing his commitment to the “ongoing process” of securing electoral justice and implementing the Agreement for National Unity (ANU), which includes the findings of the Tripartite Committee.

In his response, Kamara criticized the NSG’s portrayal of internal discussions regarding his role and rejected any interpretation that his leadership in the Tripartite Committee and ongoing party matters imply the end of his tenure as flagbearer. He argued that the NSG’s letter “hugely misrepresents” the substance of a recent party meeting, which, according to him, only addressed his role as a party leader under the APC constitution.

Kamara’s response has stirred further debate within APC circles over the party’s strategic direction, internal unity, and approach to leadership transitions. With this public disagreement, Kamara urged party leaders to rise above “personal ego and sentiments,” calling for unity in advancing the APC’s mission to represent “the rights and will of the people” amid what he described as “severe political and socioeconomic struggles” in Sierra Leone.