Bitter divisions within the National Grand Coalition (NGC) following members’ petitioning of the party’s lower-level elections (some of which were even rerun), in seven districts, have prompted the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) to initiate a ruling.

The commission looked into the various mechanisms established by the party to address multiple election petitions at the ward, constituency, and district levels that various bodies within the party forwarded.

The leader of NGC Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella (KKY) had to be even called in to help solve the wrangling that had engulfed the party for the last five months but to no avail, with some members challenging decisions of committees set up by the party to resolve the petition cases.

PPRC in its ruling dated 6th December 2022 based on findings, upheld the petition by the NGC Western Rural District Executive and the Chairmen of Constituencies 107 and 110, and that the elections conducted in Constituencies 107 and 110 on the 1st October 2022, by the Western Rural District executive were regular and the Results valid. PPRC has also confirmed the legitimacy of the Officers elected.

However, the petition by the District Executive officers of NGC in Falaba district was upheld by the commission.

The commission also endorsed the District Executive elections conducted by the “Regional Secretary North/East”. In effect, those Executives Officers that got elected from those polls were also considered legitimate by PPRC.

The commission also upturned the decisions of the Joint Committee of NGC on all lower-level elections of the party, “in respect of which, petitions were filed with the Commission”.

The commission has authorized NGC to proceed with the next level of its lower-level elections.

Pujehun, Kenema, Tonkolili Bombali, Falaba, Kambia, and Western Rural Districts were the areas that had very contentious issues surrounding NGC party elections.

The party has been preparing to meet the requirements put forward by the commission for parties wishing to take part in the June 2023 General Elections.