AYV News, February 12, 2026
The All Peoples Congress (APC) party’s prominent figure and former Cabinet Minister, Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden OOR, has advised her APC party to swiftly settle the Fine slammed on the party whilst simultaneously urging APC Members of Parliament to urgently draft and lay before Parliament a Private Member’s Bill seeking immediate amendments to Section 39 of the Political Parties Act, 2022.
Speaking to AYV in a phone chat yesterday February 11th 2026, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden said the way Section 39 was drafted and enacted by Parliament, leaves her party with little option under the Law than to immediately pay the Fine.
Reaffirming her position initially stated in a formal Statement issued on social media in the night before (February 10th 2026), Dr. Blyden said the best solution to the “conundrum” was two fold. Firstly the party pays the Fine and secondly, the party uses its MPs in Parliament to amend Section 39 of the Act.
The fine ordered by the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) and totalling NLE350,000 was slammed on the APC under Section 39 of the Political Parties Act, 2022.
In her Statement, Dr. Sylvia Blyden described the matter as one of “urgent priority,” raising concerns over the potential legal and constitutional implications of the Party’s suspension.
“My biggest concern is the jurisprudence that will be created if our APC Party is indeed suspended,” she stated, warning that such a development could raise complex legal questions about the status of elected APC officials.
According to Dr Blyden, if the Party remains under suspension, it may open the door to arguments that APC Members of Parliament and Local Council officials—elected under the APC Party List System in the 2023 general elections—could face questions over their continued legitimacy in office.
“This may mean all APC MPs and all APC elected officials of Local Councils are also suspended from continuing to work as MPs, Mayors, Chairpersons and Councillors,” she cautioned.
She further described the situation as a “looming conundrum,” urging what she termed “the smartest of APC brains” to urgently examine and resolve the legal complexities surrounding the matter.
Meanwhile, an announcement by the PPRC has now confirmed the suspension of the APC over the unpaid fine imposed by the Commission.
The fines were issued on Monday February 2nd 2026, after the Commission determined that statements made by the APC Secretary-General, Lansana Dumbuya Esq. and another APC supporter during a mass gathering at the Atouga Mini Stadium in Freetown, violated provisions of Section 39(1) of the Political Parties Act, 2022.
In its statement, the PPRC maintained that it was exercising its statutory powers under the law, emphasising its mandate to regulate the conduct of political parties and ensure compliance with established legal frameworks.
While the Commission insists the suspension is a lawful enforcement action, the move has sparked debate within political circles and among civil society observers.
Some legal analysts argue that regulatory bodies must apply the law without fear or favour to preserve institutional integrity and accountability. Others caution that the suspension of a major opposition party carries significant political and democratic implications, particularly if it affects elected representatives who were voted into office by citizens.
The development has reignited broader discussions about the scope of the PPRC’s powers under the Political Parties Act, 2022, and whether amendments are necessary to clarify the legal consequences of suspending a political party.
As the situation unfolds, many Sierra Leoneans are grappling with a fundamental question: Is the Commission simply exercising lawful enforcement authority, or does the suspension risk constraining political pluralism and democratic participation?
With calls for legislative intervention now emerging from within the APC, the matter appears poised to shift from regulatory enforcement to a potential parliamentary debate over the interpretation and future direction of political party regulation in Sierra Leone.
