Fact-Checked- Dr Samura Kamara No Longer APC Party Leader

Claim: APC Declares Dr Samura Kamara No Longer Party Leader, Cites Constitution

Verdict: TRUE

Context: The claim that the APC has declared that Dr Samura Kamara is no longer the party leader has been widely circulated on social media and was referenced to a broadcast on AYV Television.

The announcement was made by APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Sidi Yayah Tunis, during an episode of AYV Television’s Wake Up Sierra Leone. Tunis explained the party's decision by citing Section 47 of the APC Constitution which governs leadership roles within the party after an election.

Evidence:  Sierra Check verified the claim by reaching out to AYV and confirming that Sidi Yayah Tunis made that claim during a programme on their platform, which they confirmed. The programme was also live on the AYV official Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/uVhASxRmUQb3NRHx/ 

“As per our constitution in Section 47, the office of the leader and deputy leader only exists when you contest the election and win as president or vice president. But when you contest and lose, six months after the day the Chief Electoral Commissioner announces the winner of the presidential election, those offices cease to exist. They become vacant until the next National Delegate Conference when we elect a new leader regardless of any challenges to the result in the Supreme Court,” Tunis said.

Additionally, Sierra Check did some desk research, key among which was reviewing the APC's constitution, as gazetted on March 7, 2022. The constitutional provisions in Article 47 which speak about Party Leadership confirm the validity of the claim made by Sidi Yayah Tunis.

47(a) IV is very instructive. “Where the National Leader fails to be elected President of Sierra Leone he shall relinquish the position of National Leader six months after the final declaration of election results by the National Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, notwithstanding any petition filed in the Supreme Court or pursuant to any law; and such position shall remain vacant until another election for the Party's presidential candidate is conducted pursuant to this Constitution”.

Conclusion: The APC’s declaration that Dr. Samura Kamara is no longer the party leader is accurate and supported by the party's constitution. The statement by Sidi Yayah Tunis, as broadcast on AYV Television, aligns with Article 47 of the APC Constitution.

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