Freetown — The leadership of the All People’s Congress (APC) has reaffirmed its full support for the party’s Members of Parliament as the House continues deliberations on the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
In a statement issued on Monday, 3 August 2026, the APC National Publicity Secretariat said the party’s leadership had gathered to encourage and motivate its lawmakers ahead of the ongoing constitutional debate.
The party noted that its MPs actively participated when the Bill was first introduced for second reading by Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, describing their contributions as focused on representing the interests of the Sierra Leonean people.
The statement said the leadership’s presence in Parliament was intended to reassure the MPs of the party’s backing as they examine key provisions.
It reiterated the APC’s commitment to defending constitutional democracy and promoting the interests of the people through parliamentary engagement, while thanking supporters and citizens for their continued confidence and calling for sustained commitment to democratic governance.
Parliament has resumed debate on the Bill, with lawmakers expected to continue detailed consideration of its clauses before it advances to the next legislative stage.
The second reading concluded without dissent in the early hours of 29 July after a marathon session, clearing the way for the committee stage.
The Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025, published in the Gazette in December 2025, proposes significant changes to the 1991 Constitution. Key provisions include renaming the Electoral Commission the National Electoral Commission and establishing a Search and Nomination Committee drawn from diverse stakeholders to recommend commissioners; reducing the presidential victory threshold from 55 per cent of the national vote to a simple majority (50 per cent plus one) combined with at least 20 per cent of valid votes in two-thirds of the districts; introducing district-block proportional representation for parliamentary elections; setting a fixed election date (the second Saturday in November every fifth year); creating a legal pathway for independent presidential candidates; and embedding measures to advance women’s representation, including a 30 per cent quota.
The reforms draw on recommendations from the Tripartite Committee formed after the contested 2023 elections and the earlier Constitutional Review Committee chaired by the late Justice Edmond Cowan.
Under Section 108 of the Constitution, any amendment requires the support of at least two-thirds of all Members of Parliament (approximately 99 of the current 149 seats) at both the second and third readings. Entrenched clauses would additionally need approval in a national referendum.
Parliament currently comprises 81 seats for the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), 54 for the APC, and 14 Paramount Chiefs.
Opposition Leader Abdul Kargbo has stressed that nothing short of the two-thirds threshold can validly pass an amendment, while stating that the APC is not opposed to constitutional reform in principle but may object to specific provisions.
Civil society groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and the Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice, have submitted detailed position papers offering both support for progressive elements and recommendations for refinement on issues such as appointment independence, thresholds, and independent candidates.
As deliberations continue, the APC’s public show of support for its parliamentary caucus underscores the political sensitivity of the process, which both major parties and stakeholders have framed as critical to Sierra Leone’s democratic architecture and the implementation of post-2023 peace and unity commitments.
