Freetown – Former Interim Transitional Governance Committee chairman of the All People’s Congress Alfred Peter Conteh has described the High Court’s recent interim ruling in the party’s leadership dispute as a significant boost for ordinary members, while calling on all sides to respect the order in full.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the decision, Conteh stressed that the judge had been explicit: the order is temporary and does not resolve the core issues still before the court. Those substantive questions will be examined when the matter returns on 19 September. The interim measures themselves remain in place for 21 days.
Under the ruling, no single individual currently holds unilateral power to run the party’s affairs. Instead, the court directed that three elders be appointed to handle designated responsibilities in the intervening period.
Conteh said the expectation is that those elders will prioritise the party’s collective interest over personal agendas.
He noted that the individuals covered by the injunction remain barred from broader leadership functions. The only limited exception granted by the court allows them to continue signing cheques so that staff salaries and other essential financial obligations can be met.
“The good news for APC members is that those who were concerned can now feel reassured,” Conteh said. “No one has unrestricted authority to run the affairs of the party until the court hears the substantive matter.”
Responding to questions about possible non-compliance during the interim window, he warned that the judge’s instructions are clear. Anyone uncertain about the scope of the order should seek clarification from the court; any action that exceeds its limits will have to be answered for in court.
Party leadership, he added, will monitor adherence closely ahead of the next hearing.
Political observers say the interim arrangement is already shaping the day-to-day administration of the opposition APC. The outcome of the 19 September hearing is widely expected to carry lasting consequences for the party’s internal governance and leadership structure as it prepares for future political contests.
