Former presidential candidate of the All People’s Congress (APC), Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara, has declared his readiness to participate in broader consultations aimed at resolving the growing internal crisis rocking the opposition party.
In a letter addressed to Hon. Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, Executive Secretary of the APC Elders Council, Dr. Kamara commended the Council for initiating dialogue efforts and reaffirmed his commitment to restoring what he described as the party’s founding principles of democratic governance, accountability, and national service.
The former presidential flagbearer stated that his continued advocacy for “Electoral Justice and Democratic Legitimacy” remains centered on reclaiming what he believes was the APC’s stolen mandate during Sierra Leone’s June 24, 2023, general elections.
Dr. Kamara used the letter to sharply criticize sections of the party’s national leadership, accusing them of engaging in what he termed “anti-party activities” that weakened the APC’s position after the elections.
According to him, many APC members and supporters felt disappointed and betrayed by decisions taken by the party leadership, which he claimed allowed governance to remain in the hands of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) despite the APC’s insistence that it won the presidential election.
“The vast majority of the APC membership and indeed the whole country felt let down and betrayed,” Kamara wrote, warning that the actions and posture of some within the party leadership continue to damage public confidence and trust in the APC.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister, however, expressed willingness to engage in meetings focused on resolving key post-election issues, including disputes surrounding the 2023 presidential election, the implementation of the Agreement for National Unity, and the recommendations put forward by the Tripartite Committee established following the political impasse.
Dr. Kamara stressed the importance of frank and sincere discussions that would help rebuild trust within the APC and reposition the party as a credible force in Sierra Leone’s multi-party democratic system.
While indicating that he may nominate representatives to attend some initial engagements on his behalf, he maintained that he fully supports the APC Elders Council’s efforts to reconcile aggrieved factions and restore confidence among party loyalists nationwide.
He also requested access to the report of the APC Nine-Man Committee, describing the document as crucial to ongoing consultations and future decisions concerning the party’s direction.
“The restoration and sustainability of our democracy in Sierra Leone is a task that must be done now and carried infinitely into the future,” Dr. Kamara stated in the letter while appreciating the APC Elders Council for what he described as its timely intervention in the party’s internal challenges.
The development comes amid increasing pressure on the APC leadership to unite competing factions ahead of future political engagements and growing concerns among supporters over the party’s internal divisions since the disputed 2023 elections.