Freetown, 4th February, 2026 – The National Secretary General of the All People’s Congress (APC), Lansana Dumbuya, has issued a statement to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) following his detention by the Sierra Leone Police.
In the statement, Dumbuya defended comments attributed to him, insisting they were political opinions expressed in good faith and grounded in publicly available reports from both international and domestic election observation bodies concerning the 2023 general elections.
Dumbuya clarified that the position he expressed was not personal but reflected the long-standing stance of the APC. “The APC has, since the conclusion of the 2023 elections, consistently expressed concerns regarding the conduct, transparency, and outcome of the elections, including allegations that the electoral process did not reflect the will of the people,” he stated.
He emphasized that his remarks were made strictly within the context of political discourse and democratic engagement allowed by the Constitution. “My statement was therefore made in articulation of an established party position, which has been repeatedly communicated through lawful political channels, public statements, and engagements with national and international stakeholders,” he noted.
Dumbuya further pointed out that, to his knowledge, no comprehensive, transparent, and disaggregated official results were conclusively published or validated from the electoral process. He said this absence has remained a central subject of public debate and concern both within Sierra Leone and among international partners.
“In light of these unresolved issues, the position of the APC remains unchanged and by extension that of mine as the National Secretary General of the APC. The concerns I expressed reflect a widely held political view shared by many citizens, civil society actors, and political stakeholders, and they continue to form part of ongoing national discourse on electoral integrity and democratic accountability,” he explained.
Rejecting any suggestion of malice or criminal intent, Dumbuya maintained that political parties and citizens have constitutional rights to disseminate information on political ideas and to freedom of expression, provided such expression does not promote violence or hatred. “Yes, I stand by my position as a political opinion and ideas based on public reports and unresolved electoral concerns, but I do not stand by any interpretation that suggests violence, hatred, or criminal intent,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to peace, the rule of law, and democratic means of addressing political disagreements. “Notwithstanding my commitment to democratic ideals, I want you all to understand that I have now been detained by the Inspector General of Police for engaging in normal democratic discourse,” Dumbuya stated.
