With less than three weeks remaining until the mandate of the All People’s Congress (APC) National Executive expires on February 18, 2026, the main opposition party faces a deepening constitutional standoff over leadership succession and the legality of term extensions.

Legal interpretations are sharply divided on how the party should proceed, with some stakeholders calling for a National Delegates Conference (NDC) to prevent a power vacuum, while others advocate for a temporary extension to ensure stability.

Following the All People’s Congress (APC) National Delegates Conference held in Makeni in February 2023, a comprehensive list of national officers was elected to serve a three-year term ending on February 20, 2026.

National Leader & Flagbearer: Dr. Samura M.W. Kamara

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Chairman & Deputy: Hon. Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray and Amb. Alhaji Osman Foday Yansaneh

Secretariat: Lansana Dumbuya Esq. (Secretary-General) and Hon. Osman Timbo (Deputy)

Publicity & Organizing: Sidie Yayah Tunis (Publicity Secretary) and Bai Mahmoud Bangura (Organising Secretary)

Legal & Finance: Africanus Sorie Sesay Esq. (Legal Adviser), Mrs. Memunatu Koroma (Treasurer), and Osman Jalloh (Financial Secretary)

Spiritual & Discipline: Rev. Michael Samura (Chaplain), Sheik Mohamed Lamin Kamara (Imam), and Hon. Wurroh Timbo Jalloh (Whip)

Women’s Congress: Led by Mariama Lowe Bangura

Young People’s Congress: Led by Ibrahim Prince Tholley

Veterans Congress: Led by Thomas Conteh

Persons with Disabilities: Led by Anthony Osman Khanou

According to the APC Constitution of 2022, the tenure of the current National Executive Committee (NEC) ends in February. Legal analysts and party commentators contend that the party’s constitution contains no provision for an automatic extension of the NEC’s tenure.

Critics of a potential extension argue that Article 20(g) of the party constitution obligates the executive to uphold the document’s provisions, none of which allow for a term extension without an amendment approved by a National Delegates Conference. Furthermore, they assert that the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) lacks the legal authority to grant such an extension.

“The PPRC’s role is regulatory, not discretionary,” one legal analysis circulating within party circles states, citing Section 39(5) of the PPRC Act 2002. “The Commission cannot grant or endorse unconstitutional extensions. Doing so would breach its statutory duty.”

These critics maintain that if the executive requires more time, the only lawful route is to convene an NDC to amend the constitution, rather than relying on a “unilateral” extension endorsed by the PPRC.

However, senior party figures are pushing back against the call for an immediate dissolution of the current leadership. Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, a prominent party member and 2028 presidential aspirant, has publicly advocated for a six-month extension of the current executive’s tenure.

In a statement released on January 14, Blyden argued that a six-month extension, if approved by the PPRC, would be “perfectly legal” and necessary to prevent chaos. She warned against the installation of interim “caretaker” bodies, arguing that such arrangements could destabilize the party.

“It is too risky to destabilize our party with any interim arrangements just because we don’t trust or like the leadership,” Blyden stated. “Let us not shake the boat. Instead, let us stabilize our party.”

Blyden revealed she had engaged with fellow party heavyweight Ambassador Alimamy Kamara, who reportedly opposes the extension due to a “lack of trust” in the current leadership and the Independent Electoral Management Committee (IEMC). Blyden, however, countered that “distrust should not negate our current leaders from having a 6-month extension,” emphasizing that the current executives were constitutionally elected from the ward to the national level.

Complicating the tenure debate are serious allegations regarding the internal electoral process. Reports have surfaced accusing party operatives of fraud in the issuance of membership cards and the disenfranchisement of legitimate members.

Critics argue that the PPRC is obligated under Section 39(5) to suspend ongoing ward elections until these membership registers are verified and alleged fraud is investigated by the police.

As the February 18 deadline approaches, the APC finds itself at a crossroads. The National Executive is under pressure to clarify whether it will seek a mandate from a National Delegates Conference or apply to the PPRC for an extension—a move that legal opponents warn could trigger court challenges.

Dr. Blyden has indicated she is drafting an Amicus Curiae brief regarding Section 39(5) of the PPRC Act to support the argument that the current IEMC should conduct elections with the existing officers acting as caretakers.

Meanwhile, she has urged the APC Secretary General to publish deadlines for the 2028 Presidential Candidate applications, signaling that the race for the party’s future leadership is already underway.