Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden on Monday, February 13th 2023, declared to contest for the position of a Member of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) of the All Peoples Congress (APC).

She made this declaration in an application letter sent to the Leadership of the party, which according to her was guaranteed by two APC members inKailhun and Freetown in good standing who were notified whether or not she is found fitting to contest and elected as a Member of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) of the All Peoples Congress (APC).

Speaking on her application on her Facebook page,  Sylvia Blyden spoke of her experience as a non-voting observer member at the NAC (2019 to 2020), noting that during that brief time of service, the salient and pertinent advice that she renders to the NAC members ensured the party did not derail at critical points.

She furthered that at some point, her ” presence (and very serious and sober Advises she used to give) during NAC Meetings resulted in orchestrated series of events” which lead to her absence from NAC Meetings.

She said;

“I am now offering myself to the APC to serve as one of the Members of NAC to be elected for a three-year tenure. If those who are patriotic APC Comrades of mine, see value in having me as an elected Member of NAC, I believe my presence in the NAC will greatly help the party’s stability – I have the Skills, the Talents and the Knowledge (historical and contemporary) to make the difference in guiding the All Peoples Congress with good advise.

“My APC party membership and party card, during 21st Century contemporary times, was approved over 10 (ten) years ago. On 1st January 2013, I was “pre-approved” after application & approval on 29th November 2012. However, I have a much longer and well-proven track record of advising the APC since as far back as the nineties. I have the credit of being the Comrade who so believed in the APC back then in the nineties that I spent thousands of dollars on building up a formidable APC presence globally when I was only 28 years of age.” She added.

She also disclosed that she had also served as the elected Secretary to the 9-Man Committee that was set up to look into why the APC lost the 2018 Presidential Elections, where her frank and brutally honest Report set a roadmap for the APC party.

NAC is the second-highest decision-making body of the APC and second in authority to only the National Delegates Conference.

The NAC is empowered to take critical decisions on behalf of the APC such as during Emergency situations. The NAC also advises and guides the Leadership of the party at all levels.

According to the new APC Constitution, there should be twelve (12) Members of the NAC to be elected by the Delegates Conference who will then be joined by other specific national and regional elected executives to make up the NAC of the APC.

The NAC composition is found in Article 19 of the new APC Constitution as follows:
COMPOSITION OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

The National Advisory Committee shall consist of the following members:
I. The National Chairman;
II. The Deputy National Chairman;
III. The National Leader
IV. The Deputy National Leader;
V. The National Secretary General;
VI. The National Organizing Secretary;
VII. The National Financial Secretary;
VIII. The National Publicity Secretary
IX. The National Treasurer
X. The Chairman of the Elders Council;
XI. The Parliamentary Leader;
XII. All Regional Chairmen;
XIII. The Leader of the Diaspora;
XIV. The Leader of the National Women’s Congress;
XV. The Leader of the National Veterans Congress;
XVI. The Leader of the National Young Congress;
XVII. The National Legal Adviser;
XVIII.The National Leader of the Persons with Disability Wing;
XIX. Two ex-officio members of the National Advisory Committee;
XX. Twelve non-executive members were elected at the National Delegates Conference, with at least two from each region.

Below is a copy of Byden’s application form submitted at the APC Party Headquarters in Brookfields, Freetown.