By Abdulai Sillah

Claim: All APC elected MPs reject boycott, pledge to represent electorates in Parliament.

Verdict: False

Full Text: On August 3rd, 2023, a social media post purportedly authored by an individual named National Political Prophet circulated on various platforms, asserting that all APC party elected Members of Parliament had convened at the regional party office in Makeni and unanimously expressed their commitment to fulfilling their duty by representing their constituents in Parliament. The piece also alleged tensions arising from the surprise stance taken by the MPs against a boycott, with claims that Dr. Samura Kamara and the Executive were caught off guard by this firm decision, with the MPs chanting “we want to go to Parliament.”

The post further contended that the MPs declared their intention to prioritize the interests of their voters and called for APC members’ support in effectively representing their respective constituencies in Parliament.

Methodology: To fact-check this assertion, Super Newsroom engaged Hon. Peter Yamba Koroma, a senior APC party member who serves as the parliamentary caucus leader for Bombali district MPs and is involved in the organization of the party.

He categorically refuted the claims, labeling them as entirely false. Hon. Peter Yamba Koroma acknowledged a meeting held on the specified date at the regional party office involving all elected APC officials, led by Dr. Samura Kamara and the party’s executive. However, he clarified that the outcome of the meeting was a renewed commitment to continue boycotting governance until their concerns were addressed.

He stated, “We will not attend Parliament until our concerns are addressed. The meeting aimed to reinforce our commitment to our boycott action. The people who elected us strongly support our stance, and we are resolute in upholding their wishes. Since we communicated our position, President Bio and the SLPP party have not made any direct effort to engage with us. We anticipated negotiations and discussions, but as of now, the party is unaware of any such developments.”

Hon. Peter Yamba emphasized that Dr. Samura Kamara had informed them of engagement with the United Nations, which acknowledged the country’s political stalemate due to their stance.

He asserted that their decision was unanimous and free from tension, with the electorate still expressing their preference for the boycott. “Should we attend Parliament? No! Our constituents continue to urge us not to go,” he added. He affirmed their unwavering determination to persist on their decision until their concerns were adequately addressed.

Conclusion: The claim that all APC MPs have officially rejected the boycott and pledged to represent their electorates in Parliament lacks substantiated evidence. Furthermore, the APC party asserts that no direct engagement has occurred with President Bio or the SLPP party regarding their concerns, which remain unaddressed.

NOTE: This fact-checked story is a product of the SLAJ/NDI SuperNewsRoom on Combating Disinformation in Sierra Leone’s 2023 electoral cycle. The project is supported by Global Affairs Canada to enable citizens have access to credible and accurate information.

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