The All People’s Congress APC has officially reinstated former Vice President Chief Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana as a full member of the party following directives from the Political Parties Regulation Commission PPRC.
The APC has issued a backdated party membership card to Sam Sumana after he successfully completed the party’s internal verification process formally restoring his status within the party.
Sam Sumana was suspended by the APC in 2015 amid internal disagreements with the party leadership. The suspension was later cited as the basis for his removal from office as Vice President by former President Ernest Bai Koroma a decision that sparked widespread political controversy and legal debate.
Critics argued that the Constitution did not grant the president the authority to remove a sitting Vice President on the grounds of party suspension while supporters of the decision maintained it was justified under party and governance considerations. The episode deepened divisions within the APC and remains one of the most contentious moments in Sierra Leone’s recent political history.
Following his removal Sam Sumana pursued legal redress both locally and internationally including petitions to regional and international bodies while maintaining that his dismissal was unconstitutional and politically motivated.
According to party insiders the latest reinstatement restores Sam Sumana’s full rights and privileges within the APC making him eligible to participate in and potentially contest the party’s 2026 National Delegates Conference.
The development has generated widespread political attention with analysts describing it as a major turning point in Sam Sumana’s relationship with the APC and a move that could significantly reshape internal party dynamics ahead of the 2026 conference.
Observers say his return could influence alliance building regional balance and leadership calculations within the party as the APC prepares for future elections.
