By Lemuella Tarawalllie
The opposition All People’s Congress has, on Tuesday 5th May 2026, returned to the House of Parliament and declared its readiness to re-engage Parliament with a firm stance on electoral transparency, accountability, and democratic integrity, following what is described as “critical interventions” by international moral guarantors.
During a press engagement at the Office of the Minority Leader of Parliament on Tuesday 5th May 2026, APC Spokesperson, Hon. Dr. Unpha Gbassay Koroma, set the tone with a defiant message, stressing that the party’s actions are guided by principle, not pressure.
“We will not follow press statements or narratives that do not reflect the will of the people,” he said.
“We call on our supporters to listen to the leadership and remain focused.”
The Minority Leader of Parliament and Leader of the All People’s Congress in Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, revealed that the APC’s decision to return to Parliament followed engagements facilitated by international stakeholders.
Stating that after the intervention of the moral guarantors, they reached a common understanding, “Out of that, we decided to return to Parliament in the interest of national unity.”
He added that the party has already urged the Speaker of Parliament to align legislative processes with the terms of that understanding, particularly in strengthening electoral oversight.
“We have established a parliamentary oversight approach on election management. Parliament must now allow space for engagement, questioning, and accountability,” Hon. Kargbo said.
Despite acknowledging the numerical disadvantage of the opposition, Kargbo emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong parliamentary presence.
“In every Parliament, there is a majority and a minority. The minority may lose votes, but that does not mean we should not take positions,” he said.
“Our duty is to ensure that for every law passed, our position is clearly recorded for posterity.”
“Even if we do not have the numbers, we must be present, we must speak, and we must stand for the people.”
On pending legislation, Hon. Abdul Kargbo urged restraint from the executive while the opposition conducts internal reviews.
“If the President can wait, we will appreciate that,” he said. “We are working through the technical processes to arrive at a coordinated position.”
Addressing concerns about the party’s earlier parliamentary boycott, Kargbo defended the move as necessary and strategic.
“We did not boycott for the sake of it. We did so because of critical issues affecting the people,” he explained.
He pointed directly to electoral concerns: “We want elections that are clean, fair, transparent, and inclusive. Elections must not be manipulated. The voice of the people must count.”
Hon. Abdul Kargbo further claimed irregularities in previous electoral processes, citing personal experience.
“I was at a tally center. I saw what happened. People are losing confidence in elections, and that is dangerous for democracy,” he said.
The opposition leader also pushed back against what he described as attempts to suppress dissent.
“Protest is part of democracy. You cannot criminalize protest and still claim to be democratic,” Kargbo argued.
“When people are denied the space to express themselves, it becomes anti-democratic.”
In a reflective closing, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament framed the moment as a defining one for both Parliament and the nation.
“We are the generation that must ensure elections are free, fair, and transparent,” he said.
“If we fail to positively influence this generation, then we have failed completely.”
Reaffirming the APC’s commitment, he concluded, “We believe in democracy, and we will ensure that Sierra Leone gets a leadership chosen by the people through a credible process.”
