The All People’s Congress (APC) has taken a significant step in response to Hon. Mohamed Bangura, who defied their directive by being sworn in during yesterday’s parliamentary session. After The party had instructed their representatives to boycott parliamentary sittings.

In a press release issued on the 14 July, 2023 the party said that they “notes with dismay and disappointment the action of Mohamed Bangura, one of its listed Members of Parliament, representing Karene District, under the District Block Proportional Representation System.”

The party went on to say that “The said Honourable Mohamed Bangura, on Thursday 13th July 2023 presented himself at the opening session of the 6th Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone and proceeded to subscribe to the Oath of Office of Members of Parliament, contrary to the policy decision of the National Advisory Committee (NAC).”

After setting the record straight of the discussion taken by Hon. Mohamed Bangura the party called on the public in siting the party bases for which its members were asked not to be present at the well of Parliament for the Oath.

“The public may recall that in a press release dated the 30th June 2023, the Party stated its position on matters concerning the June 24th 2023 elections. Specifically, it is declared that the Party will not participate in any level of governance, including the legislature and local councils, owing the lack of transparency and inclusiveness in the tabulation of the elections results. The party further demanded the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) to publish Station-by- Station elections results for the party and other stakeholders to ascertain the veracity of what ECSL announced as the results.”

The party went on to accuse the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone saying that, “The All Peoples Congress (APC) strongly holds the view that ECSL tampered with the people’s mandate to give the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) an unverifiable presidential victory and an unjust majority at all levels. This conclusion on non participation was reached at a meeting of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) in which Mohamed Bangura was in attendance.”

APC in the release furthered that there was a meeting that all elected representatives endorsed the above decision.

“At a meeting summoned on the 5th July 2023 of all Members of Parliament, Mayors and Chairpersons of Council (elect), the said decision was further communicated to and endorsed by all present.”

The press release also sited the provision of the APC constitution that gave the NAC the powers to control all subordinate organs of the party.

“Pursuant to Article 21 (h) of the APC Constitution 2022, decisions of the NAC are binding on all subordinate organs, bodies and members of the Party. Article 38 establishes the Parliamentary Group, comprising of the Party’s Members of Parliament, as one of the bodies Honorable Mohamed Bangura, being a member of the Party, and also a member of the Parliamentary Group., by his conduct, has flagrantly disregarded and disobeyed the decision of the NAC in contravention of the Party’s Constitution.”

The APC party accuses Hon. Mohamed Bangura as being disobedient to the NAC and for that the NAC should constitute a strong disciplinary action under Chapter 6 of the APC Constitution 2022.

In the end of the release the party stated the actions that was taken against the Honorable. They stated “Thus, the Honorable Mohamed Bangura, along with the APC rank and file and the general public, is hereby informed that the Party has initiated disciplinary action against Honorable Mohamed Bangura in line with the provisions of the APC 2022 Constitution”