By Philip Conteh.

My brothers and sisters, let us speak the truth, however bitter it may sound. The 2023 presidential elections were stolen from us. Every Sierra Leonean knows it. We felt the pain, and we still think it today.

Out of anger and disappointment, our APC Party decided to stay away from Parliament, councils, and every other political process. But we could not hold that ground forever. Under the leadership of Dr. Samura Kamara, we returned to the table.

We pinned our hopes on the Tripartite Committee, believing that justice would be served, that the wrongs of 2023 would be corrected. But what did we get? More disappointment. More frustration. And today, many accuse our leader of betrayal. Whether that is true or not, one thing is clear: the grassroots of this party are restless, confused, and searching for direction.

Out of that frustration came the so-called Electoral Justice Movement. At first, the name inspired hope, because we all want justice. But let us be honest: what is electoral justice? Who is leading it? What is the plan? What actions are being taken? What timelines are being set? Up to now, there have been no clear answers.

Deadlines come and go. Promises are made and broken. Words are spoken, but no results follow. And let us not deceive ourselves—if we are not careful, this movement will end up opposing not the SLPP, but our own APC Executive. That would be a tragedy, because the job of the APC is clear: to prepare, to win elections, and to govern Sierra Leone. Elections come every five years. The next battlefield is 2028.

And here, let us face our own mistakes. Whatever we may think of Sierra Leone, we still have a justice system weak, compromised, but still there. After the 2023 elections, we failed to take the matter to court. That was a fundamental mistake. By refusing the legal route, we lost an opportunity to build an official record of electoral fraud. Courts are not perfect, but they are part of the struggle. And because we did not go, our case became weaker.

Now I say this without fear: if by electoral justice we mean removing Maada Bio from power today, then we are chasing an impossible dream. Let us face it this man has been in power for nearly three years since 2023. Incumbency is on his side: the army, the police, the courts, the state machinery all under his control. To believe we can pluck him out of power before 2028 is to deceive ourselves and to deceive the people.

So, what then is real electoral justice?:

· It is about accountability documenting the theft of 2023 and making sure the world does not forget.

· It is about reform—forcing the NEC, the PPRC, and the institutions of this country to change so that the next elections are not stolen.

· It is about education teaching our people their rights and how to defend their votes.

· It is also about preparation training polling agents, building monitoring systems, setting up rapid response teams, and strengthening APC structures from village to district to regional levels.

We will know we are winning when the truth of 2023 is written down and acknowledged.

We will know we are winning when reforms are tabled, debated, and monitored.

We will know we are winning when every APC constituency can boast of trained polling agents ready to defend the ballot. And,

We will know we are winning when our grassroots movement grows, when our numbers swell, and when the APC becomes the hope of the people once again.

But if by mid-2027 we have not achieved reform, if our party is not ready on the ground, then let us not fool ourselves electoral justice will have failed, and all our slogans will have been in vain.

My call is simple:

· To the Electoral Justice Movement: wake up. Stop sleeping. Stop chasing shadows. Stop making promises you cannot keep. Join your energy with the APC Executive. Fight for justice, yes, but fight also for 2028. Please work with the Party, not against it. Channel your passion into a clear plan with defined timelines, roles, and actionable steps. When you do that, the APC family will be with you. But until then, chasing the removal of Maada Bio today is nothing but a fantasy.

We all want the APC in power not tomorrow, but today. That is why we joined the Party. But politics is about reality, not dreams. The fact is this: the road to the State House runs through 2028. That is the battlefield. That is where we must fight. And that is where we must win.

Brothers and sisters, let us unite. Let us stop fighting each other. Let us stop wasting time. Let us put our eyes firmly on 2028. Because in that year, with God on our side, with discipline in our ranks, with justice in our hearts, and with preparation in our hands, the APC will return to the State House.

And that, my people, will be justice enough for Sierra Leone.