FORMER APC LEADER ISSUES 7-DAY ULTIMATUM TO PPRC OVER TENURE EXTENSION DISPUTE
By Marion George
Former Majority Leader of Parliament, Ibrahim Rassin Bundu, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC), demanding a substantive ruling on the ongoing dispute over tenure extension within the All People’s Congress (APC).
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday in Freetown, Bundu warned that failure by the commission to deliver a formal decision within the stipulated period would compel him to pursue legal action.
Bundu, a 15-year veteran legislator and former Leader of Government Business, argued that the APC’s current National Executive Committee no longer has legal authority to remain in office beyond February 18, 2026. He cited Section 39(5) of the PPRC Act 2022, which prohibits political parties from extending the tenure of their executives for more than six months.
He further maintained that the APC’s 2022 Constitution does not provide for tenure extension, stressing that the party’s governing document is binding on all members and structures.
According to Bundu, the matter was initially brought before the PPRC by Ambassador Alimamy Kamara. He revealed that deliberations had nearly concluded with a shared understanding that neither the commission nor the APC had the authority to extend the executive’s mandate. However, he expressed concern that the PPRC Chairman later issued directives allowing the executive to continue managing party affairs without issuing a formal ruling.
Bundu described the move as a violation of both the PPRC Act and the APC Constitution, and questioned the silence of other commissioners, including representatives from the Sierra Leone Bar Association, the Electoral Commission, and the Sierra Leone Labour Congress.
In a related issue, Bundu also criticized the PPRC’s handling of financial oversight of political parties. He referenced a 2022 High Court ruling by Justice Adrian Fischer, which ordered a forensic audit of APC finances from October 2017 to April 2022. The audit reportedly found that over Le8 billion in old currency could not be properly accounted for by the party’s former executive.
He further accused the commission of failing to enforce Section 35(3) of the 1991 Constitution, which requires political parties to submit annual financial reports. Bundu said he had attempted to raise the issue with the PPRC months ago but was advised to first engage the APC leadership, a move he said yielded no response.
Additionally, Bundu warned that individuals who served in the APC executive between 2017 and 2022 and have since resumed similar roles could be in contempt of court. He cited a perpetual injunction issued in the Alfred Peter Conteh versus APC case, which restrains certain officials from presenting themselves as party executives.
Bundu emphasized that his actions are aimed at upholding legality within the party and the broader political system.
“The laws of this land must be respected by all,” he said. “If we expect the government to adhere to the rule of law, we must demonstrate the same commitment within our own institutions.”
The PPRC has yet to issue an official response to the ultimatum.
