AYV News, May 20, 2025
The main opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) Party has complained that its Membership Card is being pirated by some bad Sierra Leoneans in Freetown.
National Secretary General of the APC, Lansana Dumbuya said on Friday, 16 May, 2025, a member of the APC discovered a disturbing incident at a local printing press located at Upper Brook Street in Freetown, where an individual was caught in possession of a freshly printed copy of the Party’s old membership card.
He said upon being confronted, the individual fled the scene and the manager of the printing press has since been invited by the authorities for questioning, and a formal investigation is underway by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
Lansana Dumbuya said: “It has become clear that some individuals, having failed to bypass or manipulate the newly introduced membership system, have now resorted to illegally reproducing the old membership cards in an apparent attempt to create confusion and undermine the integrity of the party’s verification process”.
He said when he took over from his predecessor, the APC’s old membership database was formally handed over to him. That database contains a complete and verified record of existing members, including specific names, AA numbers, and corresponding details.
He said any individual who now attempts to produce or fabricate an old membership card outside this verified system will not be tolerated, adding that such individuals will not be allowed to participate in the ongoing verification process, as their AA numbers will not match the official database.
The National Secretary General of the APC, Lansana Dumbuya said: “Let it be known, unequivocally, that the old APC membership card will not be accepted for any voting or party decision-making processes. Only the newly issued APC membership ID card will be valid for such purposes. This transition is not only essential to ensure internal order and credibility but was also mandated by both the courts and the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC), addressing and securing the membership database is, therefore, a legal and institutional obligation”.
He said the APC has also observed that certain individuals are now making deliberate efforts to divert attention from the facts by spreading false accusations. These individuals, he said, are attempting to accuse members of the party’s executive, including those who were instrumental in apprehending the suspect at Brook Street, adding that they have even gone further to direct baseless allegations at aspirants and other members of the public.
Mr. Dumbuya assured that the APC is committed to duo process and is allowing the ongoing investigation to proceed without prejudice. He said once the investigation is complete, the party will inform the public accordingly and take appropriate action based on the findings.
