The All People’s Congress (APC), once the formidable political force that inspired loyalty across Sierra Leone, now stands as a shadow of its former self—hungry for power, thirsty for leadership, broke in resources, and visionless in direction. For nearly seven years in opposition, the party has drifted like a ship without a captain, clinging to the memories of its glorious past while failing to chart a meaningful course for its future. The APC that once commanded the nation’s confidence has become a house divided, weakened by internal wrangling, financial drought, and a lack of innovative ideas to reconnect with the ordinary Sierra Leonean.
After losing power to the SLPP in 2018, the APC had a golden opportunity to rebuild, reform, and rebrand itself as a credible alternative to the Bio-led administration. Instead, it has spent these seven long years trapped in endless internal conflicts, personality clashes, and factional politics. The party has become more focused on settling scores and promoting individual ambitions than on addressing the people’s struggles. As a result, it has lost the moral and political momentum needed to inspire national confidence.
Today, the APC is hungry—not just for political power, but for unity, direction, and ideological clarity. The hunger within the party is not one that drives transformation; it is a desperate appetite for personal gains and control of leadership positions. The once vibrant red movement that prided itself on mass mobilization and grassroots engagement now struggles to speak with one voice. Local party offices are dormant, regional structures are inactive, and the ordinary supporters feel abandoned and ignored. The hunger that once united the APC’s followers has turned into frustration and disillusionment.
The party is also thirsty—thirsty for leadership that can unite the old and new generation of party faithful. The current leadership crisis, worsened by deep mistrust and ego battles, has created a vacuum at the top. Many members no longer see a clear vision for how the APC intends to return to power or what it would do differently if it does. The thirst for a unifying figure like the late Siaka Stevens or a reform-minded strategist like Ernest Bai Koroma remains unquenched. Instead, what exists is a chaotic mix of competing interests, each pulling the party in a different direction.
Financially, the APC is broke—and not just in monetary terms, but also in political capital. A party that once boasted of financial strength and grassroots networks now struggles to fund its operations, mobilize supporters, or sustain its message. The long years in opposition have drained its coffers, while many of its traditional financiers have either withdrawn support or switched allegiance. Meetings are underfunded, campaigns are poorly coordinated, and the party’s image suffers because it lacks the means to compete with the ruling SLPP’s financial machinery. When a party becomes financially malnourished, it loses its ability to organize effectively—and that is exactly where the APC finds itself today.
But perhaps the greatest tragedy is that the APC has become visionless. For seven years, it has failed to articulate a clear, coherent alternative policy agenda. The people of Sierra Leone are desperate for solutions—on the economy, education, agriculture, jobs, and governance—but the APC’s message remains shallow and reactionary. Instead of offering strategic ideas to fix the nation’s broken systems, the party often confines itself to criticizing the government without presenting a superior plan. Criticism without vision is political emptiness, and the APC risks being seen not as a government-in-waiting but as a party stuck in the past.
Many Sierra Leoneans expected the APC to use its time in opposition to reflect, reform, and rebuild credibility. Yet, internal power struggles have overshadowed everything else. The legal battles over the party’s constitution, the court injunctions, and the leadership disputes have severely damaged public confidence. Instead of focusing on grassroots reorganization, the party leadership remains entangled in endless conferences, committees, and controversies. The delay in establishing a coherent post-election strategy after 2023 has further weakened its moral authority.
At the community level, the party’s connection with the masses has eroded. The APC once represented the voice of the common man—the market woman, the taxi driver, the farmer, and the youth. But today, many of those people feel neglected and voiceless. The SLPP’s failures should have been the APC’s greatest opportunity to reemerge stronger, yet the party’s inability to capitalize on this moment exposes its lack of direction. While citizens battle hunger, unemployment, and insecurity, the APC seems more preoccupied with internal politics than with national problems.
The youth within the APC are especially restless. Many young supporters who sacrificed time and energy for the party feel excluded from decision-making. The same old faces dominate the leadership space, recycling outdated strategies and slogans that no longer resonate with the current generation. Without a deliberate effort to empower young, energetic, and forward-thinking members, the APC risks becoming irrelevant to the next wave of Sierra Leonean voters.
For a party that once claimed to be “action-oriented,” the APC now appears paralyzed. Its hunger for power is not matched by a hunger for reform. Its thirst for leadership is not quenched by innovation. Its financial weakness has crippled its organizational capacity. And its lack of vision has left it wandering in the political wilderness.
If the APC truly hopes to return to power, it must first heal itself. It must confront its internal divisions, embrace democratic reforms, and rediscover its ideological soul. It must inspire hope with new ideas, empower the youth, and rebuild trust with ordinary citizens who are losing patience with both major parties. Sierra Leone needs a strong and visionary opposition—but the current APC, hungry, thirsty, broke, and visionless, is not yet that alternative.
Until it finds its footing, the APC will remain in the desert of political irrelevance—longing for power but unprepared to lead.