Freetown, Sierra Leone – Councillor Ibrahim Gbla of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has publicly distanced himself from claims that he is serving as Acting Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, clarifying that his role is limited to leading the party’s 18 councillors within the city council.
Speaking in a recent video interview, Gbla stated that the SLPP had appointed him strictly as leader of its councillors and not as Acting Mayor.
He emphasized that no official communication or personal platform had described him as occupying the mayoral position.
“I want to make it clear that I am not an acting mayor; my party has asked me to serve as the SLPP councillors’ leader at council,” Gbla said, noting that his social media platforms contain no reference to such a title.
His remarks have generated internal reactions within the ruling party, with some members reportedly criticizing the statement as inconsistent with earlier public assertions by sections of the party’s leadership regarding interim administrative arrangements at the council.
The controversy follows heightened political tensions at the Freetown City Council in recent weeks, particularly surrounding governance arrangements during the absence of the substantive Mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, who is affiliated with the opposition All People’s Congress (APC). The situation has drawn attention to the legal and administrative procedures governing temporary leadership at the municipality.
Political observers note that the Local Government framework provides specific provisions regarding succession and delegation of mayoral authority, typically requiring formal processes before an Acting Mayor can be recognized.
The SLPP has not yet issued an official clarification addressing the differing interpretations of Gbla’s role within the council.
