By Mohamed Kamara
Freetown, Sierra Leone – A storm of controversy has erupted after a photo surfaced on social media showing Hon. Mohamed Bangura, a Member of Parliament representing the opposition All People’s Congress (APC), wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan: “Presidential Candidate PDP (Sobeh) for the 2028 multitier elections.”
Concerned citizens have reacted strongly, describing the move as unconstitutional and an act of disloyalty. Many argue that sitting MPs cannot openly pledge allegiance to another political party while holding office under their current party, without first resigning.
Critics say the APC’s failure to discipline or expel Hon. Bangura reflects poorly on the party’s leadership. “This has brought shame not only to the APC but also to its executives, both locally and internationally,” one political commentator noted.
Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP Sobeh), Alhaji Ben Kamara, said Hon. Bangura’s apparent support for his party vindicates their long-standing concerns about bias within the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC).
He accused the PPRC of overlooking constitutional breaches within the PDP, citing the case of former party chairman, the late Prince Coker, who was investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) after the 2012 elections. Coker reportedly pleaded guilty to misappropriation of party funds and repaid the money.
Kamara said that following this, the PDP formally expelled Coker from the party, but the PPRC refused to recognize the decision. Instead, he alleged, the Commission facilitated Coker’s appointment as Chairman of the All Political Parties Association (APPA) and even validated parallel executive members loyal to him.
“The PDP has suffered more humiliation at the hands of the PPRC than any other party in Sierra Leone,” Kamara said. “Over thirty meetings have been held with commissioners, yet no solutions were provided.”
He added that although the judiciary directed the PPRC to resolve the matter constitutionally, the Commission failed to act. The party has since escalated its grievances to the diplomatic community.
Kamara was firm that Hon. Mohamed Bangura is not a registered PDP member and therefore cannot contest elections under its banner. “We will frustrate any attempt by him to run on our ticket. Nobody is above the rule of law,” he stressed.
The controversy has put both the APC and the PPRC under the spotlight, raising questions about internal party discipline and the regulatory body’s independence ahead of the 2028 elections.
