Dr Ibrahim BanguraSupporters and sympathisers of Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC), are increasingly convinced that the 2028 elections will be hotly contested and offer the party a significant opportunity to return to power.
Supporters say there is a growing consensus within the APC that the party should field a new, untainted candidate to challenge the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). Dr Ibrahim Bangura is the name that APC members most frequently mention as their strongest prospect.
Dr Samura Kamara, the party’s flagbearer in 2023, was embroiled in a high-profile legal battle, which many argue harmed his ability to campaign effectively. According to APC supporters, while President Julius Maada Bio campaigned across the country, Dr Samura was frequently in court, which limited his mobility and message. Dr Samura has been on trial since December 2021 on allegations of embezzlement of public funds related to a consulate renovation project in New York during his tenure as head of diplomacy, proceedings that accelerated after he was elected APC flagbearer.
Within APC circles, there is a widespread belief that the timing and prominence of the court case harmed the party’s prospects for 2023.
“He was tied up in court when President Bio was out campaigning everywhere,” said one member, echoing a common belief among supporters that legal entanglements gave the SLPP an advantage. Many go even further, accusing the government of using judicial processes as a tactic to derail the APC challenge, which the SLPP has repeatedly denied.
Determined to avoid a repeat of 2023, senior APC figures and strategists are reportedly working behind the scenes to protect the party’s 2028 candidate from similar vulnerabilities. One prominent party member, speaking to the Gleaner on the condition of anonymity, urged anyone who served in former President Ernest Bai Koroma’s administration not to run for party flagbearer. “All those who worked in the Dr Ernest Bai Koroma administration should avoid becoming party flagbearers because the SLPP government will use the Commission of Inquiry White Papers to dwarf their chances of becoming President,” the source warned, citing concerns that recommendations accepted from inquiries such as the Bankole, Atuguba, and Biobele Commissions could result in prosecutions or other legal actions.
That anonymous insider argued that the APC should “shift the focus to a fresh individual who was not part of the Koroma administration” and named Dr Ibrahim Bangura as “our best bet” — a new face and an easy sell for the party.
Many prominent APC members appear to agree, believing that a new, unencumbered candidate would increase the party’s appeal and electoral prospects.
As the party begins to plan for 2028, the debate over whether to support Dr Bangura or another outsider highlights the APC’s desire to avoid the legal and political entanglements that, in their opinion, shaped the previous contest. As preparations continue, it is unclear whether the party will be able to rally around a new candidate.
