All People’s Congress (APC) presidential aspirant Ady Macauley is set to participate in a National Debate on the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Bill, 2025, scheduled for today, Friday, September 18, in Freetown.

The debate, organised by the Media Coalition in collaboration with the Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ), will focus on the constitutional interpretation of Section 108(2)(b) of the 1991 Constitution.

The motion for the debate states: “This House believes that Section 108(2)(b) requires the support of two-thirds of the entire membership of Parliament, and not two-thirds of the Members present and voting.”

Macauley is one of three listed debaters, alongside Hon. Hindolo M. Gevao and Marcella Samba-Sesay.

The issue has become a major subject of public and legal debate following Parliament’s consideration and passage of the Constitution (Amendment) Bill. The APC has filed legal actions before the Supreme Court challenging aspects of the parliamentary process, with Macauley previously confirming his involvement in the cases.

Section 108 of the 1991 Constitution sets out requirements for altering the Constitution, including the parliamentary approval threshold. The interpretation of Section 108(2)(b) particularly whether the required two-thirds support refers to the entire membership of Parliament or only Members present and voting is now before the courts.

The debate is scheduled to take place from 5:00pm to 7:30pm at the New Brookfields Hotel on Jomo Kenyatta Road, New England Ville, Freetown. According to the organisers, the programme will also be broadcast nationally and internationally through Liberty TV, Truth Media, Sierraeye Digital platforms and partner radio stations.

The engagement comes as the constitutional amendment process faces ongoing legal scrutiny. President Julius Maada Bio referred a petition concerning the Bill to the Supreme Court on September 14, following a petition from the Institute for Governance Reform that raised questions about the constitutionality of the parliamentary process.

The Supreme Court has subsequently scheduled October 7, 2026, to hear matters relating to the constitutional amendment process.

The National Debate will provide a public platform for the participating debaters to present their respective legal and constitutional interpretations of Section 108(2)(b), while allowing citizens to follow the arguments surrounding the amendment process.