By: Julian Koroma

Claim: TikToker Abdulai Bangura17 shared a tweet on TikTok stating that the Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) has stopped the All People Congress Party (APC) from holding campaign rallies.

Verdict: FALSE

A recent claim made on social media alleges that Sierra Leone’s Political Parties Regulation Commission (PPRC) Chairman Abdulai Bangura halted the political rally of the All People’s Congress Party (APC) while allowing the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to conduct its campaign. Given the probability of this post spreading misinformation and creating animosity among members of opposing parties in the campaign, SLAJ/NDI found it necessary to investigate the claim.

The initial claim was shared on Twitter but has since been deleted. However, screenshots of the tweet continue to circulate on platforms like TikTok, raising concerns about the spread of misinformation and potential animosity among supporters of different political parties.

A screenshot of the claim on Ticktok

Methodology

To verify the claim, the SLAJ/NDI SuperNewsRoom consulted the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) to determine the regulations governing the campaign period. According to the ECSL, the campaign period for the presidential, parliamentary, and local council elections began on May 23, 2023.

The ECSL’s campaign calendar outlines the specific dates and districts for each political party’s rallies. We also obtained a preliminary report from the PPRC, which monitors the election campaign. The report indicated the PPRC’s satisfaction with the conduct of all political parties during the rallies held from May 23 to June 1.

To gather further information, we interviewed Lucian Momoh, the Director of Training and External Relations at the PPRC. Momoh categorically stated, “The PPRC chairman has never and would never halt any political party from campaigning.”

Additionally, posts on Facebook from APC supporters confirmed that they held a rally on June 2, which aligned with the date assigned to the APC in the ECSL’s campaign calendar.

Conclusion- Our investigation found no evidence to support the claim that the PPRC stopped the APC from conducting its campaign rally. The PPRC’s Director of Training and External Relations, Lucian Momoh, confirmed that the PPRC has not banned any political party from holding rallies. Therefore, we rate this claim as false.

This fact-checked article 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 during the elections.

The SuperNewsRoom is powered by Africell SL.

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