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Prominent All People’s Congress (APC) figure Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has defended the party’s decision to use images of animals and objects on ballot papers during its lower-level elections, citing cost efficiency and the need to prevent voter confusion.
Blyden’s explanation comes in response to fierce criticism from Hon. Rabbi Sirajin Munirr Rollings-Kamara, an aspirant for National Deputy Chairman, who issued an urgent call on Saturday to halt the elections. Rollings-Kamara condemned the use of symbols—such as snakes, dogs, rats, and chickens—in place of candidates’ names and faces, describing the practice as a “deeply troubling irregularity.”
Addressing the growing concerns, Blyden explained that the symbol-based system allows the party to print uniform ballot papers for use nationwide, drastically reducing costs and logistical errors. Under this system, each candidate selects a specific symbol, and voters are instructed to tick the image corresponding to their preferred choice.
“It’s technically great and will not produce past encumbrances where people with the same names and similar-looking faces get ballot mix-ups,” Blyden stated, noting that such identity confusion has happened in past elections. She also firmly dismissed rumors that the process was implemented to undermine the chances of a specific candidate known as “Comrade Jagaban.”
However, Rollings-Kamara sharply rejected the process, characterizing it as a calculated attempt by certain elements within a faction known as “Team A” to manipulate the election outcome and deny party delegates a fair choice.
“Let us be clear: It was not snakes, dogs, rats, or chickens that went around engaging delegates and seeking their mandate. Real people did,” Rollings-Kamara argued. “Those individuals deserve to appear properly on the ballot.”
The aspirant noted that he had raised similar objections when the same tactic was introduced during the 2023 lower-level process for parliamentary aspirants. He claimed he was assured by executive members at the time that the “flawed approach” would not be repeated.
Rollings-Kamara warned that the APC’s credibility is severely weakened when it publicly condemns the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) and the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) for electoral malpractice while tolerating questionable internal practices.
Calling on the party leadership to immediately halt the elections and correct the ballots to reflect transparency and fairness, Rollings-Kamara stated he has placed the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) on notice and is prepared to file a formal complaint if the situation persists.
“Democracy within our party must not be reduced to symbolism and manipulation,” he said.
