By Nightwatch Editorial Team
As the All People’s Congress (APC) inches toward its pivotal February 2026 National Delegates Convention, the party faces a critical test—not just of leadership, but of survival. With a crowded field of flagbearer contenders, the APC stands at a crossroads: will it emerge unified and battle-ready, or fractured, vulnerable and disintegrated?
On the surface, the abundance of aspirants suggests a healthy democratic spirit. But beneath that veneer lies the risk of debilitating factionalism. Many of these contenders represent more than themselves—they carry the ambitions of ethnicity, regional blocs, political godfathers, and interest groups. If the contest becomes a zero-sum game, the party could face a repeat of past fractures that cost it dearly in national polls.
The shadow of former President Ernest Bai Koroma still looms large over the party. While his influence could provide a stabilizing force, any perception of favoritism could deepen divisions. The APC’s younger, reform-minded members-impatient with the old guard-are watching closely. They may reject any outcome they view as stage-managed.
Unity is not impossible, but it won’t happen by accident. It will require a transparent convention process, behind-the-scenes diplomacy, and a clear understanding that the real opponent is not within the APC, but in State House.
If the party gets it right, it could galvanize its base and mount a formidable challenge to the SLPP in 2028. But if it stumbles, it risks becoming its own worst enemy. In politics, number matters; but so does timing. And for the APC, 2026 may be the most decisive year since it lost power in 2018.