In recent years, however, the All People’s Congress (APC) has increasingly appeared more interested in reclaiming power than in presenting a credible and comprehensive roadmap for national transformation. The party’s rhetoric have become louder, while their substances appear thinner and lacking the turnaround expected from it. This demand for an urgent overhaul of groundwork tools to be replaced by cogent and far-reaching messages that can be impactful. It raises a fundamental question: Does the APC want power at all costs, even if it means bypassing the very processes that legitimize democratic rule?
Since its electoral defeat in 2018, the APC has been operating in a space riddled with contradiction. On one hand, the party has rightly raised concerns over governance, economic hardship, and electoral transparency under the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). On the other, it has consistently failed to present a cohesive policy platform, develop grassroots structures, or meaningfully reconnect with a broader electorate outside of its traditional strongholds. This behavior signals desperation, not readiness. And in a democracy, power is earned—not demanded.
The Politics of Protest, Not Policy:
Much of the APC’s political energy since leaving office has been devoted to protest, accusation, and boycott. While opposition parties have a legitimate role in holding governments accountable, opposition without constructive policy alternatives quickly devolves into noise. Sierra Leoneans are tired of political theater. They want substance. They want to know what the APC would do differently on job creation, healthcare, education, national cohesion, and foreign investment. So far, those answers have been either absent or underwhelming.
Rather than engage the public with issue-based campaigns or champion legislative reform in Parliament, the APC often defaults to confrontation, grievance politics, and a narrative of victimhood. This strategy may mobilize die-hard supporters, but it alienates moderate voices and fails to inspire confidence in the party’s capacity to govern.
Boycotts over Engagement:
The APC’s decision to boycott Parliament and local governance structures following the 2023 general elections exemplifies the party’s troubling approach to democratic engagement. While they alleged electoral malpractice—a concern echoed by some observers—completely withdrawing from the political process was self-defeating. By vacating their seats, they surrendered their ability to influence legislation, scrutinize the executive, and represent their constituents. In effect, they abandoned the very voters they claim to fight for.
Democracy is not a one-sided game. You cannot opt out when it doesn’t go your way and expect to be taken seriously when it suits your interests. Real political maturity lies in contesting flawed systems from within, in building alliances, proposing reforms, and leading by example. The APC’s prolonged absence from institutional politics raised serious doubts about its readiness to govern, should it return to power.
Relying on Discontent Is Not a Strategy:
The APC appears to be banking on public frustration with the SLPP’s economic management and governance challenges as its primary ticket back to State House. But relying on a ruling party’s failure is not a strategy—it is an abdication of responsibility. Elections are not referenda on the incumbent alone; they are choices between competing visions. As long as the APC fails to articulate a compelling vision of its own, it risks turning the electorate’s disillusionment into apathy, not votes.
Opposition politics must go beyond highlighting problems. It must offer solutions that resonate. What does the APC offer on inflation, on mining sector reform, on agriculture, on decentralization, or on youth employment? Without specific, people-centered proposals, the party’s critique of the SLPP, no matter how valid, rings hollow.
Where Is the Renewal?
A major obstacle to the APC’s credibility is the lingering dominance of old political faces and the absence of clear internal reform. The party has done little to signal change or renewal since 2018. Its internal politics remain murky, dominated by power struggles, factionalism, and unclear leadership direction. Young professionals and women are rarely visible in decision-making positions, and party conferences are more about showmanship than substance.
If the APC truly wants to inspire a new generation of Sierra Leoneans, it must reinvent itself—not just in word, but in deed. It must modernize its structures, open up to fresh ideas, and demonstrate that it has learned from the missteps that led to its 2018 ousting. The days of entitlement politics are over. The Sierra Leonean electorate is becoming increasingly discerning, especially among youth voters who value transparency, accountability, and innovation over party legacy.
Earning Trust, Not Demanding It:
There is a glaring sense that the APC sees the presidency as something it is owed rather than something it must earn. But democratic legitimacy is not inherited. It must be built brick by brick through dialogue, consistency, humility, and hard work. Sierra Leoneans remember the excesses, economic stagnation, and allegations of corruption that characterized the latter years of APC rule. To win again, the party must show—not tell—that it has changed.
This includes apologizing for past failings where necessary, reconnecting with communities across the country (not just in strongholds), and building trust through policy development and sustained engagement. Empty slogans and nostalgic appeals to past glories will not suffice in today’s political climate.
Time to Get to Work:
In any healthy democracy, opposition parties play a vital role—not just in criticizing the government, but in offering the people hope through viable alternatives. The APC must rise to that responsibility. If it truly believes Sierra Leone deserves better, then it must demonstrate how it intends to deliver better. Power is not awarded on the basis of noise, nor is it returned out of sympathy. It is earned by persuasion, performance, and a demonstrated capacity to lead.
Until then, the APC’s yearning for power will continue to look like what it currently is: a desperate attempt to reclaim State House without doing the hard work to justify it. If the party wants to lead again, it must roll up its sleeves, face the people, and prove that it deserves their trust. Democracy rewards effort—not entitlement.