Freetown, Sierra Leone — The All People’s Congress (APC), Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, has officially postponed its nationwide Constituency Lower-Level Elections, which were originally set for Tuesday, June 30, 2026. The polls will now take place on Saturday, July 4, 2026.
In a public notice issued on June 23, 2026, the party’s National Secretariat cited consultations with its Independent Elections Management Committee (IEMC) as the basis for the shift.
The decision prioritizes respect for a period of mourning and reflection following the recent loss of several senior leaders, most notably the death of National Chairman Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray on June 15, 2026.
Mansaray’s passing plunged the APC into deep mourning. His remains were received in Freetown on June 19–20, prompting widespread tributes from party members, supporters, and even figures across the political divide, including condolences from the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
The party described the postponement as necessary to allow members across the country to participate fully in bereavement activities while preserving unity and solidarity.
The APC,has been conducting internal elections to strengthen its structures ahead of future national contests, including preparations potentially linked to the 2028 general elections. The Constituency Lower-Level Elections form a key part of this process, involving the selection of executives and delegates at the constituency level. These feed into higher party organs and the planned National Delegates Conference.
The party had earlier set May 16, 2026, as a date for these elections before adjustments, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance internal democracy following the contentious 2023 presidential and parliamentary polls, in which the APC performed strongly but ultimately lost to the incumbent SLPP.
In the notice, the APC urged aspirants, delegates, stakeholders, and ordinary members to use the extra days for intensified engagement in their constituencies. It stressed the need for peaceful, transparent, and credible polls as a vital step in the party’s broader democratic renewal.
The APC has maintained a digital monitoring platform for its internal elections to promote transparency and real-time oversight of voter turnout.
