The main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) has threatened to stage a peaceful nationwide protest if Edmond Sylvester Alpha remains as Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL).

At a press conference held at the party’s headquarters in Freetown on March 18, 2026, APC Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya announced that the party will not participate in governance until Mr. Alpha is relieved of his duties.

According to Dumbuya, all APC-affiliated democratically elected officials—including Members of Parliament, Councillors, and Mayors across the country—will withdraw from governance as part of this position. The party declared it would not “lend legitimacy to a broken system,” but signalled willingness to engage in dialogue if conducted in good faith.

“We are determined to stand for the people of this country,” the APC noted.

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The party further stated that it is prepared to stage a nationwide protest if their demands are not met within the given timeframe.

Mr. Alpha’s appointment was announced on February 20, 2026, in a public notice issued by the Office of the President. President Brigadier General (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio named him Chief Electoral Commissioner and ECSL Chairman pursuant to Section 32(3) of the 1991 Constitution .

The President’s office disclosed that on February 10, 2026, 14 registered political parties were formally notified of the nomination, with 12 parties submitting letters of approval for Mr. Alpha’s appointment . He was subsequently sworn in on March 3, 2026, following parliamentary scrutiny and approval .

The APC, however, views the appointment as a breach of the Agreement for National Unity signed in October 2023, which established the Tripartite Committee to recommend electoral reforms following the disputed 2023 general elections .

Central to the APC’s argument is Recommendation 36 of the Tripartite Committee, which calls for amending Section 32(3) of the Constitution to create an independent Search and Nomination Committee responsible for vetting candidates for Chief Electoral Commissioner . The party insists that no appointment should proceed until that reform is enacted into law.

The party has also raised concerns about Mr. Alpha’s credibility, citing his association with the 2023 electoral process and what it terms “contested electoral authority”