DIB HAILS APC WARD POLLS, CALLS FOR UNITY AFTER HITCHES
Dr Ibrahim Bangura has described Saturday’s ward elections of the All People’s Congress (APC) as a significant step in strengthening internal democracy, despite reported logistical challenges in some parts of the country.
In a statement issued after casting his vote, Dr Bangura said he joined thousands of party members nationwide in participating in the polls, noting what he described as a “large turnout” of enthusiastic and determined supporters.
“From my personal observations and reports from my teams across the country, there was a large turnout of party members, determined and enthusiastic in exercising their civic duties,” he stated. He added that members were not only eager to vote but also committed to safeguarding the integrity of the process.
The ward elections form part of the APC’s broader internal reorganisation under its new constitution, which established revised party structures and governance mechanisms. According to Dr Bangura, the process tested the party’s newly created organs under considerable legal, logistical and administrative pressure.
While acknowledging that there were “hitches and disagreements” in certain areas, he said such challenges were not unexpected in an exercise of that scale. He expressed confidence that cancelled polling stations would be addressed in line with party electoral rules.
Dr Bangura commended party officials, polling staff, volunteers and security personnel for their resilience, describing their efforts as critical to sustaining the party’s internal democratic framework.
He also urged party members and aspirants to exercise restraint, warning against hostility and actions that could damage the party’s public image. “Internal competition must never turn into self-destruction,” he cautioned.
Emphasising unity, he maintained that the APC is “greater than any individual” and called for discipline and maturity as the party prepares for the 2028 general elections.
The ward elections are seen as an early but important phase in the APC’s broader roadmap toward reorganising its grassroots structures and positioning itself for the next national polls.